


When You Remember Me

by ragnorfellintomyheart



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec has a bf for like one chapter, Alec's a writer, M/M, Magnus is still quite magical, Minor Character Death, Mundane!AU, Slowburn Malec, and there is violence, it's not too graphic though, original character death, reincarnated!Alec, this is angsty, warlock!Magnus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2018-12-09 00:19:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11657697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragnorfellintomyheart/pseuds/ragnorfellintomyheart
Summary: When Alec starts having dreams of a mysterious man, he starts questioning how much is his imagination and how much is real. After an accident, the mysterious man of Alec's dreams turns out to be real and his world is turned upside down as the hunt for a magical artefact is on.For Alec, how much of his life will he realise is a lie?For Magnus, how much will he sacrifice to get back the one he loves?





	1. Chapter 1

The rain poured down in torrents, covering everything it could find in the gardens from the trees to the smallest blades of grass. It had only been going for less than five minutes but already puddles were beginning to form in the mud, slowly turning into small rivers which, if it kept up the pace it was going at, would turn into a flood. The night had been clear previously, cool but not cold to the point where it was uncomfortable and the rain had come unexpectedly for an August night. Then it was pouring heavier, thunder sounding in the distance as the sudden storm rolled closer.

Alexander hadn’t taken any notice of the rain, not as it soaked through his hair and clothes chilling him to the bone. Definitely not as the wall behind him became slick from the moss that covered it, almost causing him to lose his balance. All he cared about were the press of wanting lips against his own, the hands trailing down his sides warm against his cold, wet skin and the equally warm body pressed against his own. He pulled his lover closer, pressing himself further into the moss and stone and although he was aware of the hard rock digging into his back, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

It seemed almost like a blessing, covering the sounds of sharp breaths and moans as hands found themselves places where moans could be the only acceptable response to such touching. Teeth grazed against his lips, biting to the point that he could taste blood before moving to his chin and then neck, finding the spot that drove him crazy. 

Weeks had passed since they had been able to spend time together alone as they could not risk anyone becoming suspicious of their relationship. Weeks of built frustration and passion that were now pouring themselves out with such force that Alexander wondered if this was how volcanoes might feel when they finally erupted after thousands of years. Every fibre of his being was alive and he wanted more. Oh God, he wanted more. Somehow his fingers had found themselves wrapped around the edge of the other’s t-shirt, pulling at the fabric like it was an evil force separating them from fully being together. A small, strangled noise pulled itself from his lover’s throat and Alexander couldn’t help but respond by pulling the shirt further until it fell to the ground, forgotten about. He dragged his hand down the smooth, muscled chest feeling every familiar curve that he loved so much. The movements were followed by more noises, moans and muttered curses that escaped from and against his own throat.

And then the lips were gone, semi-bringing Alexander back to reality as he pulled his eyes open to find gold meeting his own hazel. They were staring at each other, eyes half lidded and breaths uneasy as if they had been running a marathon. The rain still poured around them, a flash of lightning illuminating their faces for a split second before the crash of thunder filled their ears. Alexander cocked his head to the side, confused as to why they had stopped. 

Then just like that everything shifted as if time had passed in the blink of an eye. The storm was still raging, rivers of water now starting to band together creating larger puddles in the mud and the occasional strike of lightning or crack of thunder rattled the sky but now it was all different. Everything was distant, like Alexander was looking at the familiar place through a cracked mirror. They were no longer against the wall, the feeling of stone against his back had been replaced with a softer surface, grass maybe? He was on the ground? His lover was still looking at him, but this time it wasn’t with passion like before, tears were streaming down his cheeks and he looked scared. Scared of what? Alexander wanted to ask, wanted to find out what was going on but everything felt fuzzy and no matter how hard he tried words caught in his throat, trapped like his breath seemed to be as he gasped for air. Was someone saying something? The heat from before had completely vanished and the cold was turning his body numb. Panic started to rise within him and by using a sudden burst of adrenaline, he managed to push himself up into a sitting position and… screamed.

Pain. Pain was everywhere and he was seeing red. Blood was all over him, covering his torso where it continued to gush from the wound in his chest. Black spots started blocking his vision and he closed his eyes, trying to make it all go away. 

The next time he opened them, he was back on the ground, looking up the sky as a flash of lightning passed by. How had this happened? Was he dying? It felt like he was. Alexander looked around, as much as he could anyway, desperately looking for the familiar gold eyes that he longed for. Surely he wouldn’t be left alone to die right? Panic started to rise again, his breaths coming out shorter and he coughed, feeling something wet run down his chin. The black spots started to appear again, but then there were those eyes. Those gorgeous golden eyes that made everything suddenly seem so much better, like everything was going to be okay and Alexander clung to them, even as the darkness started to take over again, he clung to the gold that he loved so dearly. It was going to be okay. His light was here. But then he couldn’t see it anymore. The light, his light, had gone dark. Everything had gone dark and surprisingly, he was alright with that. Faintly he could hear words, but not ones that he recognised. A strange language that made him think of fairytales where wizards cast spells on anyone who defied him. In the midst of it, he heard his name, a name that had been said so many times by those lips and he felt himself smile. _Alexander_. There it was again, quieter this time. He wanted to respond to it. Wanted to respond like he always had. It took every last little ounce of strength he had to get the words out and even if they weren’t coherent to anyone but him, he knew he had responded. _Magnus_? 

Alec gasped as he woke up, frantically sitting up as he tried to catch his breath back. His eyes scanned the room, getting adjusted to the darkness and he looked over at the clock on his bedside table, focusing on the bright numbers. 1:47am. He sighed, feeling his body begin to relax as the effects of the nightmare started to fade and the odd pain that he felt in his chest started to go with it. He swung his legs over the edge of bed, running a hand through his hair as he continued to focus on the numbers on the clock. 1:50am.

Next to him, he heard the bed sheets rustling and then felt the small, slow press of lips against his shoulder blade. Alec smiled softly, the last of the panic disappearing as he turned to face the other male.   
“Hey… I’m okay, Teddy. It was just another nightmare.” Teddy looked at him, slight concern in his blue eyes that even in the dark of the night shined as bright as they would in the day. He pressed another kiss to Alec’s shoulder, wrapping his long fingers around Alec’s arm almost protectively, as Teddy always did.

  
“Are you sure?” His voice was quiet, sleep still clinging to the words, but the worry was evident. “This is the fourth night in the row, you know?” Alec nodded, smiling again brighter to convince his boyfriend that he was alright, despite not quite believing it himself.

He pressed a kiss to the top of Teddy’s pale blonde hair that contrasted shockingly against his own black mop, slowly pushing him down onto the bed before standing up, bare feet finding comfort in the soft carpet that, thankfully, wasn’t grass. A small, disappointed sound escaped from Teddy’s lips and Alec shook his head, tutting in response.

  
“I’m getting some water. You go back to sleep, I’ll be fine.” He pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants, the words barely leaving his mouth as a small snore sounded from the bed behind him. Alec couldn’t help but chuckle at the noise as he walked out of the bedroom and into the hall.

  
He made his way slowly to the kitchen, treading carefully on the wooden floorboards so not to make any noise. The apartment was one of the most familiar things in his life, having been his home for the past 5 years and the place where some of the best moments of his life had happened but the sense that something was wrong couldn’t quite shake itself from Alec’s head. Four nights of the same nightmare waking him up at the exact same time. That couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? No, nightmares were just nightmares and he’d watched a TV programme once that said it was common to have the same dream multiple times. So what about this didn’t this feel right?   
Alec turned the kitchen light on, wincing as his eyes readjusted themselves to their new conditions.

He rubbed at his temples, praying that the pounding he felt would disappear soon despite the blinding lights. It was a long shot but the darkness was almost too unnerving for him that the current option was what he preferred. He looked around the kitchen, trying to remember if there were painkillers lying around somewhere before finding some tucked away at the back of a drawer.

After pouring himself a glass of water and opening the window, he seated himself at the table and downed the pills, feeling the cool water sooth his dry throat. The nightmares left him in such a state. Headaches, sore throats and now chest pains. Maybe Teddy was right and he should go talk to someone about them. The conversation had happened yesterday morning, after the third nightmare in a row had left Alec in a panic attack so big that he couldn’t be touched for hours. They had argued slightly, Teddy mentioning that seeing a doctor would be the best thing but Alec, as stubborn as he was, couldn’t see the point in it. It was just a nightmare, albeit a recurring one, it was nothing to worry about. But now with these new pains, maybe his somewhat overprotective boyfriend was right. 

After all, Alec was prone to stress and they were both well aware of it. Teddy constantly joked that it would one day lead Alec to an early grave and more importantly, stress caused nightmares. With the amount that Alec was under at the moment, it seemed the most likely culprit for these bad dreams. There was a huge writing deadline coming up that seemed to be getting further and further away from being completed with each night, his father had been trying to invite him round for dinner despite not wanting to have anything to do with him for the past 5 years and his sister, Izzy, was starting to make non-existent wedding plans for him and Teddy because the excitement of her own was beginning to fade. But now Alec was beginning to doubt his diagnosis because stress nightmares should not cause stabbing pains to your chest.

  
Alec rubbed his temples again, the headache starting to get worse as he began to overanalyse the situation in front of him. He silently cursed himself for it and stood up, walking over to the sink for some more water although he definitely felt he could do with something stronger. A lot stronger. No, he’d worn of alcohol almost a year ago and nothing, not even demonic nightmares, were going to make him break his promise. He sipped at the water, glancing again at the kitchen as he tried to focus on something other than his own thoughts. Photo frames lined the walls and surfaces, full of pictures from the last five years. His favourite one was on the windowsill, a picture of him and his three siblings at the beach. They were all smiling, Jace and Alec posing with their sandcastle and Izzy along with Max beside theirs. It was the picture that Alec found himself focused on, trying to think back to those days before everything had happened with his parents. 

He couldn’t help but smile at the memory as bittersweet as it was he became so lost in his memories that he almost didn’t notice the movement out of the corner of his eye. Whipping around, eyes wide, Alec noticed the movement again behind the curtain. Every nerve was on alert as he grabbed the closest thing to him that he could find, a small statue of Artemis that he was given for a graduation present from his mom, off of the marble kitchen side. It was probably a raccoon or a rat, they were common in New York after all, but there was still no harm in being careful. Alec carefully walked over to the kitchen window, statue clutched in his hand and he lifted it higher as he pulled the curtain back revealing the mysterious creature behind. 

Out of all the things that Alec had been expecting, a black cat was certainly not one of them. Slowly, he lowered the statue and placed it on the side as the cat looked up lazily, gold eyes flashing before nonchalantly cleaning its paws. Alec frowned, deciding whether he should reach over to try and touch the feline or not. Instead, he hissed quietly hoping to gain its attention but the cat continued cleaning its paws, completely ignoring the noise.

Alec frowned more, edging closer to get a better look at the cat. It was all black aside from a small patch of red fur at the top of its ear and it wasn’t wearing a collar. Aside from it being slightly on the skinny side, it seemed to be in relatively good condition which gave the impression that it had recently become stray. Alec hissed again, louder, causing the cat to look up again, its eyes blinking slowly before returning to its cleaning.

  
“Hey, get out of here.” He whispered, waving his hands towards the window which caused another look but yet no movement and strangely, Alec felt embarrassed, as if the cat were mocking him for his efforts. This time, he reached out to grab the cat by its stomach but the cat simply stood and jumped down onto the floor and moved towards the fridge where it pawed gently at the door, mewing. Alec sighed, the last thing he needed right now was a stray cat to feed but he guessed that maybe a little bit of food wouldn’t hurt… right? 

“Okay, okay. You can have a little bit. Then you get lost, I can’t have a cat here.” He opened the fridge, prompting another mew from the cat whose golden eyes widened at the sight of food. Alec leaned down, grabbing a pack of ham and the carton of milk before closing the door again. The cat was obviously excited, purring loudly and rubbing its face against Alec’s leg. Alec barely had a chance to put the dish down before it began eating, purring without taking a break. Alec watched it, remembering the cat he had owned while he was a child and how they had found it out on the streets of Brooklyn, starving and cold. If it wasn’t for Teddy’s allergy, he would’ve loved to have another cat but unfortunately, he loved his boyfriend more.

Once the cat had finished, it walked back over to Alec and began rubbing his face against his leg again, tail high in the air. Alec fought the urge to stroke its ears, knowing that he couldn’t keep it and he reached down, picking it up. The cat didn’t fight, just simply kept rubbing his face this time against Alec’s cheek as Alec carried it back to the open window where it had come from. 

“Come on, little puss. You can’t stay here.” The cat stopped, looking up at him and Alec swore he almost saw sadness in its eyes. Again, he fought the urge to stroke it as he placed it outside the window sill. The cat didn’t move, didn’t try to get back in but the look its face almost broke Alec’s heart. He closed the window slowly, turning his eyes away from the cat and the second the window closed, he heard the faint mewing from behind the glass. Alec squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the noise as he closed the curtain.

The mewing still continued, a small and pitiful sound that he knew he couldn’t resist if he listened to it much longer. Alec turned, walking back towards the hallway already grateful that the mewing was quieter. This night was just getting stranger and stranger. First the nightmares, now a cat that looked like it had human emotions? He had to be going crazy, surely. The lack of sleep was affecting him. That had to be it. 

Alec walked back to the bedroom, the silence seeming more comforting than it had before. He let himself into the room, the sound of Teddy’s snoring filling his ears and he was glad that the mewing was officially gone. He pulled off the sweatpants, the cold night air brushing against his legs and then got into the bed, slowly edging himself until he pressed himself against Teddy’s back. Alec was aware sleep wouldn’t come, he felt far from tired and normally he would focus on his writing but tonight was not a normal one and his mind was swimming far too much to be able to focus on a storyline. Tonight, he would take comfort in being beside the guy he loved, not nightmares and strange cats. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My laptop broke so I haven't been able to write in ages! Agh! 
> 
> But my sister was kind enough to lend me hers so here is chapter two!! 
> 
> It's all starting to go down now. Oops.

There were few things that Alec truly loved about living in New York. The city was normally too big and busy for him to experience the beautiful sides but it made him appreciate them so much more when he could. The morning was one of those times, the sunlight appearing from behind the skyscrapers, covering the whole city in a golden light. It was quiet, the city not yet woken up from its sleep and Alec had believed since he was a child that it was some sort of secret made only for him. This side of the city at this early hour of the morning that no one got to see as they slept in their beds, trying to get as much rest as possible before the start of their day. Ever since he was younger, Alec had loved being up early to watch the sunrise and he hadn’t grown out of it as he got older either.

In fact, it had been one of the requirements that he had asked for when choosing the apartment. The living room window had to be facing the east and it was what had sold him on his home as the window was huge, bigger than it had been in his parent’s house so he could see the whole sunrise in full. Even five years later, he was constantly in awe of the sight as light bathed the entire room in gold, settling on anything it could. As the minutes went by, Alec watched as the sun took its rightful place in the sky, the red and yellow hues turning whiter until there was no trace of their beauty left and the day had truly begun.

  
Alec finished his cereal, placing his bowl down on the table as he sipped his coffee, yawning into his hand. He was no stranger to drinking multiple cups of the heavily caffeinated drink. After all, being a writer often meant staying up until late hours of the night, a constantly filled cup next to his side, but the exhaustion that crept over him today was something he knew coffee probably wouldn’t be able to fix. Regardless he downed the rest of the cup, feeling the bitter taste on his tongue and the aftertaste of caramel, his favourite part of drinking it black.

  
“Careful, you’ll end up turning yourself into that stuff one day.” Alec felt the press of a kiss against the top of his head and looked up, smiling as the owner of the voice sat beside him.

  
“If coffee is something I become, I think I can live with that. I’ll be delicious.” Teddy laughed, his voice cracking slightly from misuse. He nudged Alec’s shoulder lightly, shaking his head at the joke.

  
“You’re already delicious, Alec.” At this, Alec shook his own head, eyes rolling at the comment. There had been a time where he would have blushed at such comments, especially coming from other men but that had been long time ago, back in the days where he had to hide from his feelings, fearful of what his parents would’ve thought. He often found himself wondering why he had ever let them have that control over him, how he had even lived through that period of his life.

  
Instead of responding, Alec got up and walked over to the fridge, pulling out a carton of eggs and some bacon. He heard Teddy behind him hum with satisfaction, pulling a laugh from his throat as he turned the stove on. Soon the kitchen was filled with the scent of breakfast and the sounds of the day as cars began to drive past the apartment building and the voice of the news reporter spoke about the headlines. Alec never paid much attention to the news, the interests of what happened outside of his life weren’t interesting to him but something caught his eye as he caught a snippet of what the reporter had been discussing.

  
“-and so we can report that last night the museum was broken into.” The reporter spoke sternly, as they often did when discussing serious news. Behind him was chaos as policemen pulled tapes across the steps of the museum and held the crowds of people beginning to form back from the scene. “Officials have confirmed that the theft took place between the hours of one and two o clock last night as the guards changed their shifts over. No one was hurt during the crime and only one item is confirmed to be missing. We will keep everyone updated on further news, until now please be on a look out for any suspicious characters.”

  
“That’s crazy, huh?” Teddy was sprawled across the couch, watching the screen. Alec nodded, also staring at the screen as it changed back to the newsroom, the subject promptly changing over to the weather. The museum was another of his favourite things about New York, having spent his summers during college volunteering there. He loved the history it contained and how much information from thousands of years were stored inside.

  
“I wonder what was taken… do you think you could get hold of Tessa and find out?” Tessa Gray was the museum curator, having taken over 6 years ago after she transferred from London with her partner James, or Jem, Carstairs. Tessa was lovely, having taken on a very enthusiastic 18 year old English student as her first member of staff and the pair had remained friends since those days. She had been the only person he had fully confided in and had been the only person that knew of his troubles at home other than Izzy and she had also been the person to convince Alec to speak out against his parents. Since then, she had watched over him like an older sister, always just a phone call away if there was anything bothering him.

  
It also seemed that her thinking seemed to be on par with Teddy’s as Alec’s phone began to ring, the photo of him and Tessa standing on the museum stairs covering his home screen. He answered, holding his phone to his ear and stepping into the kitchen, knowing that this would be a private conversation. As soon as he answered, he could tell how panicked his friend was as the first few words that were spoken, Alec could barely understand. 

  
“Tessa… Tess. Can you slow down? I can’t get out a word of what you’re saying.” He heard a few deep breaths on the other end of the line, a male voice in the background speaking words of encouragement that hadto be Jem. 

“It’s gone, Alec.” Tessa sounded heartbroken as she spoke and Alec felt for her, the artefacts were so precious that they often joked that she could never have children as they’d get jealous. “The necklace… it’s gone.” Alec himself felt his heart sink, instantly understanding what Tessa was referring to.

  
“I… I’ll be right there, okay? Give me half an hour and I’ll be there. Meet me at the back entrance.” Alec hung up the phone, walking back to the living room and he poked his head round the doorway at Teddy who was still sat on the couch with his signature look of worry.

“Hey, I’m really sorry but I need to get over there. Tessa’s in serious need of a hand.” Teddy smiled slightly, an apologetic smile that let Alec knew he understood completely.

  
“Do you need a lift? Emotional support? I can always do coffee runs?” He stood up, running a hand through his blonde hair, pushing it out of his face. Alec knew how much Teddy hated being alone, especially when there was someone in need. It had, after all, been how they had gotten together. Alec nodded at his boyfriend, smiling as Teddy’s grew and he felt his heart swell.

  
They stopped for coffee on the way to the museum, grabbing breakfast as Alec knew that Tessa and Jem probably hadn’t gotten around to having it yet and they arrived at the back of the museum with their hands full of coffee and cakes. The police were still milling around and a pair of officers looked up at the approaching pair, scowls plastered to their faces. Alec rummaged around in his bag, pulling the ID card from his wallet before the officers had any chance to speak. Technically speaking he wasn’t an employee anymore, hadn’t been for a year, but the ID card still held valid and one of the officers nodded, granting permission into the museum.

  
Alec spotted Tessa and Jem almost straight away. The pair were sat on the stairs, Jem had his arms tight around his wife and he was stroking her hair, whispering into her ear. He looked up as the Alec stepped in with Teddy, his black hair with that one streak of silver hanging in his eyes. Jem whispered something again to Tessa and she looked up, eyes red and puffy from crying.   
“Sorry we’re a little late… we bought breakfast.” Alec held his arms up, showing the bag and cups of coffee. Tessa stood up, with the help of Jem, and walked over, throwing her arms around Alec’s neck as she hugged him, his shirt getting slightly wet from the tears.

  
“Thank you, Alec. You’re amazing.” Her voice was quiet, muffled from his shirt and Alec heard Teddy clear his throat quietly. Alec chuckled, looking over at his boyfriend and the jokingly hurt expression he wore.   
“I think you’ll have to thank Teddy, it was his idea.” Tessa pulled away from the hug, looking over at the other male as if she hadn’t realised he had been standing there. Her eyes widened slightly in realisation and she moved over, pulling Teddy into a hug as well.

  
“I’m sorry… thank you. This is amazing.” She pulled back from the hug, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand as she took the bag of food from Alec, opening it to find a selection of pastries inside. She walked back to the stairs, handing one with a cinnamon glaze to Jem before picking out a chocolate éclair for herself. They ate their breakfast quietly and Alec couldn’t find himself to ask questions about the theft until after they had finished eating. If there was one thing Alec knew about the pair that most people found odd, they had a very old fashioned way of going about daily life. Teddy had questioned it a couple of times at first but had also come to realise that it was just how they did things. A British thing he had called it and no one had questioned it otherwise.

  
After the last of the pastries had been consumed and the coffee had been drunk, Tessa smoothed down the front of her skirt, smiling softly before turning to the staircase. She cleared her throat, gaining some of her usual grandeur back.

  
“Let’s go to my office, we can talk more there.” She began walking up the stairs, as graceful as she ever was, and Jem followed closely behind her, a hand pressed to the small of her back. Alec went to follow, taking a step before a hand grasped his wrist, causing him to stop walking and look back.

  
“You go ahead, I don’t think I’ll be much help up there.” Teddy smiled softly, his fingers wrapping themselves around Alec’s own. He pulled gently on their hands, causing Alec to backtrack down the stairs until he stood in front of his boyfriend. Teddy smiled again, wider as he closed the gap between them, their lips meeting in a small kiss. “I hope you catch the guy. Call me if you need anything.” He moved in again, a smaller kiss promising that they would see each other later.

  
“I’ll ring you if we hear anything, I promise. I love you.” Alec squeezed his fingers, feeling Teddy’s squeeze back before he pulled his hand away, the tips of their fingers lingering together slightly before parting completely.

  
“Hey, Alec?” Alec stopped, looking back for a second a small smile playing on his lips. Teddy grinned, his teeth on full show. “I hope the criminal comes back here. Your ass looks magnificent in those jeans and I really want to see you run after him in them.” Teddy grinned mischievously, his eyes scanning Alec’s body up and down once as Alec rolled his eyes, chuckling softly to himself.

“I love you, gorgeous.”

  
“I love you too, Teddy.” With a parting smile, Teddy walked back out of the museum and Alec continued walking up the stairs.

  
Alec was always fascinated by Tessa’s office, despite the hundreds of times he had visited it. The room was large, furnished like it had stepped out of a period drama and the sun shone through the large stained glass window against one wall, sending different hues of light in all directions throughout the room. Tessa was standing near to the wall opposite, arms pulled around herself in an embrace, as she glanced to the corner where previously a glass case had stood, a cover thrown over the top for protection. The glass case was no longer there, its cover was thrown across the desk and shards of glass covered the floor in tiny pieces. Alec felt a pang of sadness pull at his heart as he stared at the scene in front of him. It hurt him to see his friends so hurt and the necklace which had inhabited the case had been a favourite artefact of his.

  
The piece had only been at the museum for a couple of weeks after its transfer from Indonesia but it had fascinated Alec, and the other museum workers from the start. According to the previous owners, it had belonged to royalty hundreds of years ago and it certainly fit the lifestyle it claimed to have. Made of solid gold, a square pendant hung from the chain, roughly the size of Alec’s palm. Jewels lined the chain, jade stones and silver charms sat alongside onyx. In the certain of the pendant was a gem, the owners had said it was emerald but Tessa had not seen any emerald like it. There was something odd about the way the light hit the stone, the way gold was flaked through the surface.

For some reason, Alec was reminded of the cat from last night. How it’s eyes had reflected the same green with gold specks.   
For a moment, Alec became too caught up in his own thoughts before he realised that he was being spoken to. He lifted his head, meeting Tessa’s concerned gaze.

  
“I’m really sorry… what were you saying?” 

Tessa frowned slightly, the concern growing slightly before she repeated her words. 

  
“I just don’t know who would do something like this. The museum hadn’t announced the necklace was here, nobody should have known apart from us and the owners. And it is obvious that they only came for the necklace.” Jem nodded, a hand still pressed to Tessa’s back. Jem never spoke much, usually only speaking in hushed whispers with Tessa and when Alec had first met him, he had wondered if the man’s mouth was sewed shut.

  
For the next few hours, the trio sat in the office as they tried to find any clues that could help them catch the thief. Policemen came and went, asking questions about who had access to the museum as no alarms had gone off in the building when the robbery had taken place. The glass case was the only sign of break in and the alarm had been disabled before the glass had been smashed. Police were calling it an inside job, someone who knew the alarm systems and cameras well enough to turn them off without raising a signal alert. Tessa stood her ground, arguing that none of her employees would ever do such a thing and the arguments continued until eventually the officer got called away elsewhere.

  
Alec kept Teddy up to date, smiling at the responses from his boyfriend as he tried to keep the mood light. Jem had caught one, the worst one he could’ve, where Alec had mentioned that Tessa looked about ready to jump the police officer and Teddy had responded that Alec was more than welcome to demonstrate the manoeuvre later, police uniform included. Jem had simply raised an eyebrow, chuckling to himself as Alec blushed, trying to make the situation seem not so bad as it sounded, and failed.

  
It was only once the sun began to set that Tessa suggested finishing for the night. The day had been hard on them all, questioning and clue finding draining energy more than they thought it would. So as the last of the sun’s light left the sky, leaving only the dim lights from the museum to illuminate the office, they packed away the last of their paperwork and left the office to the safe hands of the police. 

  
As they walked back to the car, Alec’s phone went off, the familiar tone ringing as he picked up to see Teddy’s name in the messages, asking if he wanted a lift home. He thought about it for a moment, but there was no need. The night was clear enough to walk, he thought. The air still warm from summer and besides, there were police everywhere. He typed the response, a quick “I’ll walk, see you when I get home. Love you” before returning the phone to his pocket. Teddy would probably have something to say about it later; he always did when it came to Alec’s safety but the night air was good and Alec needed to clear his head after the day he’d had.

  
“Alec?” Tessa was standing over by her car, the slight breeze blowing her hair across her face. She tucked it behind her ear and Alec couldn’t help but notice how tired she looked leaning against the car door, he supposed the day’s events must have affected her a lot more than they had him. It was her museum after all. He smiled at her and she gave a slight one in return, tucking more hair behind her ear. “Thank you for today. You truly are a wonderful friend.” Alec’s smile grew and he walked over to the car, pulling Tessa into a hug. She leaned into the embrace, burying her face in his chest as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

  
“You’re always more than welcome, Tess. You helped me so much when I needed it and I’m always happy to return the favour. Always.” He pressed another kiss into her hair before stepping back, surrendering her over to her husband and they got into the car, both giving him a wave before driving off.

  
Alec was right about the walk home. It wasn’t cold at all, the breeze making it just the right temperature for him and all seemed quiet. Occasionally there would be voices from bars and pubs that lined the roads but the majority were shops and houses that were all quiet in the early evening. He walked around a corner, not truly paying attention to where he was going when all of a sudden his feet hit something in the middle of the path. Alec stopped abruptly, hearing the screech, or rather meow, from the object he’d collided with. Looking down, he was greeted with a familiar pair of green eyes, flecked with gold that stood out against the dark corner. Alec muttered to himself before continuing to walk, leaving the cat behind.

  
His luck however didn’t seem to be in his favour as a few seconds later, the mewing was heard from behind him and the cat’s body rubbed itself against Alec’s legs. He stopped again, sighing deeply before facing the small feline. “Look, cat.” He spoke in hushed tones, after all, anyone would find him crazy talking to a cat in the middle of the street. “I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t have it. I’m sorry if you’re a stray and need somewhere to live… but I already told you that you can’t live with me.” He muttered under his breath again before speaking quieter. “This is ridiculous… I’m talking to a cat. Look, shoo.” Alec waved his arms in the cat’s direction, trying to get the feline to back off but was met with the same bored look he had been given the night before. After failing his attempts, Alec decided to go for the silent approach and he turned around, preparing himself to walk away again.

  
He saw the car too late. The lights came out of nowhere, blinding him as they sped towards where he was stood on the pavement. Another car was driving in the opposite direction, turning to corner just as the speeding vehicle reached the same spot.

The cars collided instantly, the sound of clashing metal filling Alec’s ears and he felt the ground shake from the impact. Alec’s eyes widened as he saw a piece of metal fly off from one of the cars, heading straight towards him and he couldn’t move. It was like his feet were glued to the pavement and suddenly he was thinking about how he wasn’t supposed to die like this.

  
But death never came. The door fell to the ground where Alec had been stood but Alec wasn’t standing anymore. He was on the ground, the pavement cool beneath his back and his eyes were squeezed shut, prepared for the impact that never came. He was aware of the ringing in his ears, the slight throb from where his head must have hit the concrete but more importantly, he was aware of the weight pressing against his body.

  
Slowly, he opened his eyes. At first his vision was fuzzy, still recovering from the fall but slowly he could make out the features of the person on top of him. A male, Asian by the looks of things, all sharp angles and smooth skin. Black hair was spiked up, red streaks running through it and the one thing that caught Alec’s attention most of all, a set of green eyes flaked with gold. Alec’s eyes widened as he took in his saviours appearance before pushing the other male off of him. His eyes turned to the door that lay next to them on the pavement. It was pale blue, quite small and Alec noticed that it belonged to the same car that Teddy owned.

  
The realisation set in then and Alec pushed himself off of the floor, eyes wide as he looked towards the collision, both cars were now on fire and he was faintly aware of the hand grabbing his arm. The man that had knocked him over was shouting something in his ear but Alec couldn’t hear it. He needed to make sure. Needed to confirm that it wasn’t him. The flames were getting higher, the grip on his arm tightened and he could feel the strength that was beginning to pull him away from the wreckage but Alec tried with all of his own strength to stay put. He caught it in the middle of the fire, the one thing that confirmed what he had been dreading.

The number plate.

Teddy’s number plate.

And his body went limp. His knees could no longer hold him up and he fell to the ground, unable to make a sound. Hands were wrapping around his arms again, trying to pull him up as the flames grew more dangerous and Alec fought against them with everything he had but his strength had left him and now he was being carried away from the wreckage just as the explosion went off.

  
Alec wasn’t sure how long he was carried for. But when the arms that were holding him up finally let go, Alec couldn’t hold it in any longer. He fell to the ground, fingers digging into the ground and he screamed. He screamed until his voice wouldn’t let him scream anymore and even then he cried in ragged sobs, his throat burning from the smoke and his damaged vocal chords. Time seemed to stop. It could have been minutes that he kneeled there in the mud, or it could have been hours. He wasn’t sure anymore. At some point he heard that voice again, the voice of the man. He didn’t listen to it. He couldn’t. At some point, he was being picked up again but he didn’t fight. What point was there in fighting? He was gone.

  
He didn’t care where he was being taken.

No where mattered anymore.

Not now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for any comments/kudos! 
> 
> Find me on tumblr @ ragnorfellintomyheart   
> Twitter @ ireadwaytoomuch


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We begin to find out more about our mysterious saviour. Hmmm....

By the time they reached the motel that Magnus had been staying at, Alec had fallen asleep in his arms. Sirens blared around them as the emergency services arrived at the scene of the crash and Magnus was glad that the noise hadn’t woken him up. It was hard enough as it was, the last thing Alec needed was to hear was help coming when he was nowhere near his boyfriend. He couldn’t help but wince at the word as if it was the worst word he had come across. _Boyfriend_. No, this was the wrong time to be thinking like that. The boy was most likely dead and Magnus was spiting him. Even he was above that cruelty.

The room he had picked was small with only a single bed, an en-suite bathroom and a couple of pieces of furniture. There wasn’t even a tv or phone. Magnus placed Alec carefully on the bed before locking the door and closing the curtains. No harm in being careful. He placed himself on the windowsill, his gaze flicking between the sleeping man on his bed and the world outside. It was going to be a long night, he thought to himself as another round of sirens passed by. Magnus had always known that his luck was bad but this completely took the piss.

~

Alexander was standing in a field. The sky was blue save for a light scatter of clouds and the sun blazed down, heating up his skin. He couldn’t remember how long he’d been standing there but the sun’s position told him that it must have just passed midday. So where was he? He took a glance around the field, trying to spot any sign of the tall, lean figure he was waiting for. _Meet at the crow’s nest no later than noon. I can’t wait to see you again. MB._ Alexander felt his nerves heightening. Their meetings had always been a risk and now with the recent hunts, the risk had heightened almost tenfold. What if something had happened? He had always been careful but what if they caught him? Alexander felt panic rise in him when the gentle brush of fingers against his shoulders brought a stifled gasp from his lips. He spun around, taking in the man in front of him with tears forming at the corners of his eyes. “Magnus. You came.”

~

Magnus felt himself dropping to sleep as the exhaustion from the day finally caught up with him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake the drowsiness from his head as he heard the sheets rustle behind him.

“Where am I?” The voice came out broken and Magnus tried not to let himself look as sad as he felt. He kept his eyes on the window, knowing that it was a bad idea to look over at the bed. It was better to take anger than anything else. “Answer me. Where am I?” Alec was trying desperately to seem less scared than he probably felt. Despite the stern tone to his voice, Magnus could hear the fear behind it.

“Somewhere safe.” It was the best answer he could give.

“What do you mean somewhere safe?” The bed creaked and Magnus gathered that Alec had stood up. He didn’t answer. Answering would mean explaining and now wasn’t the right time. Not after Alec had just lost…

“Hey!” A hand grabbed at Magnus’ shoulder and before he could register it, he was being spun round and a set of piercing hazel eyes were glaring at him. “What do you mean by somewhere safe? What the fuck is going on??”

Magnus sighed, running a hand through his hair before he met the other man’s eyes with, what he considered to be, the best poker face he could muster.

“There was a car accident. You were right in the way.” Magnus shrugged, waving a hand nonchalantly. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

A look of realisation seemed to pass over Alec’s face then. The hand gripping Magnus’ shoulder disappeared to hang idly by Alec’s side and he suddenly looked very pale. Magnus silently cursed himself. This wasn’t the way this was supposed to happen.

“The car accident…” And then Alec’s fear was more visible. “I need to be there. I need to get to the hospital.” Alec’s voice was wavering but Magnus could hear the certainty behind it. Magnus was about to say something, his mouth open and the words at the end of tongue when Alec moved to the door, shaking the handle.

“It’s locked, there’s no point. And if you break it, you can pay the hotel for the damages.”

“Then unlock it! You can’t keep me here.” Alec shook the handle again using less force than before. The more he spoke, the more he sounded like he was about to cry. “I need to get to the hospital… I need… please.”

And then the soft side of Magnus took over. The side that saw the vulnerable young man in front of him, a man that Magnus knew he could never say no to, who had lost a loved one when he already had so little and Magnus couldn’t let him stay here. Not when Alec didn’t know what was going on. When he still had hope that his boyfriend could still be alive. He deserved to know that much at least. So Magnus found himself unlocking the door.

“I have a car downstairs, I’ll drive you.” As an afterthought, Magnus added with a small smile. “Don’t worry, you can trust me.”

The car ride was about as awkward as Alec thought it would be. He was stuck with a man he had never met. Who had dragged him from the crash site and locked him in a motel room and had acted nothing but cocky towards the whole situation. A man who also looked so strikingly familiar that he thought he was losing his mind. Alec knew he shouldn’t be worrying about that right now. Not when he didn’t know if Teddy was alive or dead. The crash played back in his mind. He knew that it was his car, the number plate said as much. But why had Teddy been even out on that side of town? Alec had told him that he would be walking home and there was nowhere around the museum that was of any interest. Unless he had taken his protectiveness to a whole new level and had decided to try and find Alec while he had been walking home.

Alec tapped his fingers restlessly against the car door. He knew that the driver, who he still hadn’t caught the name of, was driving above the speed limit but it still wasn’t fast enough. Teddy could be drying and Alec didn’t want to get there too late. He couldn’t. The hospital was a good 15 minute drive from Alec’s apartment block and from the road signs he had seen, they were about 10 minutes away from that side of town. New thoughts found themselves making a home in his mind. How had this man managed to carry Alec so far to the motel? Why was he helping him? Why was he so reluctant to let Alec out of that room? Why was Alec trusting him? He didn’t ask any questions, despite them burning in his mind. The sound of a throat clearing make Alec look up and he found the man looking at him, an amused look on his face.

“You don’t mind if I smoke, do you?”

The cigarette was already hanging idly from the man’s fingers. They were long and slender, adorned with multiple rings of all different sizes and metals. The biggest one being a large, silver piece shaped into the letter M. The man raised an eyebrow in Alec’s direction, a small smile playing on his lips as the cockiness seemed to return and Alec realised that he was staring. Alec shook his head turning his gaze at the clock on the car’s dashboard as he heard the click of the lighter. 2am. The smell of smoke instantly filled the car, causing Alec to cough. Great, now the car ride was going to be even worse.

Alec realised after they turned a corner that they were going the long way through town. The question of why played in his mind before he realised that going the shorter way meant passing through the area where the crash had happened. The route they were taking now only prolonged the journey by a couple of minutes but for Alec it felt like a lifetime. The man finished his cigarette, chucking the butt out of the car window before rolling it back up again and Alec found himself glancing at the rings again. In particular, a slender ring that was sat on the man’s index finger. It was made of silver, a softer kind than the large M ring and in the middle sat a green gem stone that Alec couldn’t quite place as anything he knew. His eyes slowly wandered to the man’s face, taking in all the detail he could find which might help Alec remember why he felt so familiar.

The sound of a phone ringing found Alec gazing back at the window again and he realised that he hadn’t checked his since the crash. He took the device out of the pocket on his jeans and pressed the home button to be greeted with the empty battery sign. Wonderful. News had probably gotten out about the crash now and no doubt his family were trying to contact him to find out if he was okay. Maybe he could use a phone at the hospital to let them know. The phone was still ringing and it was clear that the man didn’t have intention of picking it up. It rang through until the voicemail took over and Alec could slightly hear the voice on the other end- it was barely audible but Alec could hear the anger in it. He thought he saw the man roll his eyes out of the corner of his vision.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, Magnus barely had enough time to park before Alec was undoing his seatbelt and opening the door, running through the carpark. By the time he had managed to get himself out, the mop of dark hair was already disappearing through the hospital main doors and out of sight. Great, he sighed, crossing his arms against his chest. No thanks or anything. What had he gotten himself into? He let out a deep sigh before following Alec through the hospital doors.

The place smelled of disinfectant and Magnus fought the urge to gag as he looked around the lobby trying to find a sign of Alec’s black hair. It didn’t take him long and he found the man standing by the customer service kiosk, his back straight with purpose. He walked over carefully, not wanting to break into Alec’s circle. Magnus realised he probably shouldn’t be here at all. This wasn’t his business, Alec didn’t even know who he was and was trying to get hold of his boyfriend who most probably died in that crash but Magnus also knew he couldn’t leave. Alec didn’t have anyone else with him and no matter what the circumstances were, Magnus wanted to be there for him.

Alec was furious. The nurse at the customer service wasn’t giving him any information without having to consult another member of the team first and was asking questions that, quite frankly, weren’t necessary. He was aware that his voice was raised and people were beginning to stare, if anything that gave him more of a reason to raise his voice louder. He wanted people to hear how stupid they were being.

“I just want to know where the people involved in the car crash were taken. If you can’t tell me that, can I at least know if the people involved are okay? No, I’m not family. My boyfriend was involved. Yes, boyfriend.”

Alec pushed away from the desk, running a hand through his hair. This was going nowhere. He caught sight of the man standing a few feet away, watching him with concern. Alec wasn’t sure why this guy was still hanging around but in a way he was glad that someone was here with him. He had no way of getting hold of his family and as much as he was an independent person, there were somethings that Alec had learned he couldn’t do by himself. The lady at the desk was still making phone calls, occasionally she would look up at Alec with a scowl before speaking into the phone again, muttering words instead of speaking them out loud. Alec was about to start asking why this was taking so long when he caught sight of a familiar couple from across the room. Then he was running, aware he was pushing into people but still he kept going until he reached the pair.

They had been in a relationship for 6 years. More than once they had gone to Teddy’s house for thanksgiving and Christmas as his parents had been a lot more accepting than Alec’s had been. Everytime he had visited, Teddy’s parents were always waiting with a warm smile and a present of some sort for the pair. Alec thought of them when he thought of what parents should be like and their faces were as familiar to him as his own parents were. It was home. They looked different now. The warm smiles had been replaced with a look that made Alec’s heart sink. Teddy’s mom, Angela, looked up as Alec walked over and she only had to look for a second before she was crying. His heart sank even more. They didn’t exchange any words, Alec couldn’t bring himself to ask. He looked up at Teddy’s dad, Mark, who shook his head solemnly and that was all the answer that Alec needed. Teddy was dead.

For the third time that night, Alec felt his knees give out on him. Mark caught him this time, pulling him tight into his chest as he whispered into Alec’s hair. There was a ringing in Alec’s ears and he couldn’t hear past it. He knew Mark was probably telling him that it was going to be okay, that he was sorry and everything else that people normally said in these situations. He also knew that Mark probably wasn’t just talking to Alec when he spoke those words. Angela also joined in with the hug and for a moment, Alec felt closer to the family than ever.

There were no tears this time around. Part of him knew, he supposed. He’d seen the accident, heard the explosion as he was carried away from the crash. There was no way someone could have survived that. But he had to hope, didn’t he? Had to hope that Teddy had made it out in between the crash and the explosion. That he was wandering the streets home while Alec was unconscious in a crusty motel outside of Brooklyn with a man he’d never met. That Alec would get home to find Teddy on the couch, worried as hell because he’d been trying to get hold of Alec but his phone was dead. They’d hug each other so hard and promise to never let each other out of their sights again. But that wasn’t going to happen.

A doctor came out, causing the trio to break their embrace as he spoke to Teddy’s parents. They were being called into a meeting to discuss what would happen next and Alec knew he wouldn’t be welcome. Before they left, they shared one last embrace and promise Alec that if he ever needed anything, no matter how small, they would be there. They were his family too. And he promised them the same back.

The man was still standing in the lobby, talking to someone on the phone. Alec guessed it was probably the person who had left the voicemail earlier and when Alec walked over, the man quickly told the person that he had to go and hung up. It was strange, Alec thought, how he’d only just met this person but seemed like he had known him for years at the same time. Despite everything, he felt like he could trust this stranger.

“Can you take me home?” The man looked shocked at the request, his eyebrows raising in, what Alec was beginning to call his “signature look” and he nodded his head.

“Sure thing, doll.”

They walked back out the car park, the silence settling around them again like it had before. Magnus wanted to say something, to comfort Alec in this horrible time, to tell him that it was okay to be sad but things would get better. That he would always be here for him, even if Magnus could never explain why. Instead, it was Alec who spoke first.

“Thank you.” It was only two words but Magnus felt his heart swell. It was better than nothing.

“You’re more than welcome, sweetpea. I know this can’t be easy for you.” Magnus opened the car door, letting Alec in first before taking the driver’s seat. “I lost a lover too- a long time ago. It still isn’t easy.” And it wasn’t. Even years later, Magnus still felt the same heartache he felt when it all happened. He started the car, the sound of the engine strangely calming. “Where am I taking you?”

“Manhattan.. near Battery Park.”

Magnus nodded, pulling the car out of the car park and towards their destination.

“How did you get over it?” Alec’s voice was small, a contrast to the loud, desperate tone it had had all night so far.

“I didn’t, not really. I just held onto the knowledge that I’d see them again one day. That was enough to get me through.” Magnus looked over at the passenger seat and the person who occupied it. Alec was slumped in the chair, all energy he had seemed to have drained from him and exhaustion was set in his face. Grief was something that Magnus had encountered too many times and although it manifested itself in many ways, it always looked the same in the end. “You’ll see him again. I know it won’t be the way you want it to be but people always reunite.”

“Turn left at the next junction…”

“Right, yes. Of course.” Magnus cleared his throat, pushing the emotions back into his mind. This wasn’t supposed to be how this was supposed to go. If he let himself show feelings it would ruin everything but yet…

“I don’t understand why you’re helping me. You don’t know me, we don’t even know each other’s names and yet you’ve been following me around like a lost puppy.”

“I prefer stray cat, actually…”

“You act all cocky and bored like you don’t want to help me but you obviously do. What’s your deal?”

Alec was staring at him with such an intensity that Magnus felt like he couldn’t look at him directly. His hazel eyes seemed to burn through Magnus and he kept his eyes on the road ahead.

“I saw you needed help, so I helped. Is there anything wrong with that, sweetpea?”

“Don’t call me that.”

Magnus pursed his lips. Alec had switched from vulnerable to cold with a matter of seconds and Magnus wasn’t sure what to think anymore. He knew Alec could tell he was lying, it was clear from the way he looked at him. But how did he explain the unexplainable?

Luck, this time, seemed to be on Magnus’ side as they pulled up to the apartment block. Alec frowned as they pulled into a parking spot but didn’t ask any more questions. Instead he just sat there, watching Magnus as Magnus trying to look at anywhere but him. Eventually, Alec pulled away and opened the car door.

“Thanks again, anyway.” He went to close the door when Magnus put a hand out to stop it. Alec looked down into the car, the frown starting to reappear.

“Can I give you my number? I know you’re confused and you don’t know me but I want to be there for you. This isn’t easy and… well, if you want someone, I’m happy to be there.” It was a long shot, Magnus thought. Alec didn’t trust him, didn’t seem to like him at all even and he had good reason not to. But Alec continued to surprise him as he slowly nodded.

Magnus smiled, hoping he didn’t look as relieved as he felt and he quickly scribbled the number down on a piece of paper. Alec took it carefully, looking at it before placing it in his pocket. Alec looked at Magnus then, the only time they had properly looked at each other the entire night and Magnus hoped that Alec could feel what he felt. The connection between them that Alec wasn’t aware was there. And then those eyes were gone, looking down as Alec closed the car door and began to walk to the apartment building.

Once the door to the building was closed, Alec took the piece of paper out of his pocket again. The numbers were written in an elegant, cursive handwriting and just beneath them sat two letters. _MB_. He walked to the apartment slowly, his legs feeling like lead beneath him as he tried his best to stay upright. How would home feel now that half of it was gone? The question scared him. He’d not thought much about what would happen now in the car but there was no hiding from it now. The home that had been theirs for 5 years, that had seen the best and worst moments of their life, was now one person emptier and Alec wasn’t sure if he could face it now it was staring right at him.

He placed a hand on the door handle, feeling it push open with barely any effort and he frowned. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Cautiously, he walked into the apartment, keeping the door open behind him in case he needed to make a getaway. There seemed to be no other signs of forced entry as Alec looked around the apartment. Nothing had been broken or damaged, the doors were closed and most importantly, Alec couldn’t find any other people in the building. He made his way back to the front door, closing it and making sure it was locked before heading back to the kitchen. It must have been Teddy, Alec thought. But why? He took a seat at the kitchen table, burying his face in his hands. The questions started going around in his mind again as he tried to process everything that had happened over the past day. Teddy had gone out in the evening, leaving the front door wide open, to go to an area of town that he hardly ever visited. None of it made sense. He had always been so careful… carefully calculating everything he did to make sure that nothing went wrong and yet he acted so recklessly with this.

Then there was this mysterious MB. The man who had whisked Alec away from the crash with no thoughts and had been there by his side for what reason? A complete stranger who feigned being an innocent bystander turned hero but Alec knew he was hiding something. It was just finding out what. He ran his hands through his hair, feeling the beginnings of a headache. He felt like he was in a novel. That the words he wrote on paper were now coming to life right in front of him. And then an idea came over him… writing.

Alec jumped up, walking over to the living room. There was notebook on the coffee table, the page open, words scribbled over it from when Alec had used it to write down his latest writing idea. He turned the pages, finding a blank one before he grabbed a pen and began to write. The words flowed onto the page as the room began to change colour, turning from its usual white to gold as the sun rose. And with it, a new day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on tumblr @ragnorfellintomyheart   
> Twitter @ireadwaytoomuch 
> 
> Thanks for reading guys!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the wait! My laptop broke so I've been using my phone and it's taking so much longer.   
> Also apologies for any mistakes.

Alec had finally gotten to sleep when a loud banging woke him up from his short but oh so needed slumber. He grumbled and pushed his head into the pillow, cursing whatever and wherever the noise was coming from. The pounding in his head had tripled since he had arrived home the night before and frankly, he wasn’t in the mood.

  
When the banging didn’t stop, he glanced up at the clock hanging on the living room and cursed even more. It hadn’t even been an hour since he had managed to fall asleep.

  
The notebook still lay open on the coffee table, the writing barely readable as he had franticly scribbled down the words before exhaustion took over his body. There was one sentence that stood out right at the bottom of the page, the words written in bold and underlined.

  
**WHO IS MB?**

  
As the last remainders of his nap started to wear off, it registered that there was now shouting accompanied with the knocking and Alec groaned, recognising instantly the string of Spanish curse words. He pulled himself off the couch, wincing slightly as a stab of pain went through his head. Why did grief have to be so painful?

  
Alec made his way to the kitchen, temporarily ignoring the continuing ruckus of his sister and grabbed the painkillers from where they still lay after the previous night’s pain. He silently prayed that this wasn’t going to become a regular habit.

  
The noise was still carrying on in the background and after downing a second glass of water, Alec began to make his way towards the door. The colourful language hadn’t stopped, in fact it seemed to get even worse as her voice raised and Alec heard a few phrases that made him partly thankful they weren’t in English. His neighbours weren’t exactly friendly and he was sure they would file a complaint, if they didn’t because of the noise to begin with.

  
“I swear to God, Alec, if you don’t answer this door-“ Alec swung the door open, barely giving his sister a look before disappearing down the corridor again.

  
“Alec....” Isabelle closed the door behind her before she began following after her brother. Alec could hear her heels against the floor as she crossed the kitchen and the sound made him want to plug his ears. “Alec, talk to me. Please.”

  
“What’s there to say, Izzy?!” It was a momentary burst of anger, exhaustion paired with frustration and he saw his sister flinch at the words. Part of him hoped it was enough for her to be quiet.   
Alec flung himself back onto the couch, burying his face in one of the pillows. He felt the sofa dip next to him and a hand gently touched his thigh. He didn’t bother to raise his head, or make any movements at all and he could feel a slight squeeze of his sister’s hand.

  
“I’m sorry.” Isabelle spoke quietly now and Alec could hear the sadness in her voice. “If you don’t want to talk then that’s fine. I won’t force you.” Alec accepted the apology, nodding his head briefly but didn’t move from his pillow haven.

  
They sat in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again, her voice quieter. “The news is saying it was a drunk driver. He made it out damaged, but alive.”   
It felt like a punch in Alec’s gut. If the pain he had felt before was bad, this was a whole new type of pain. The pillows suddenly felt suffocating, as if they were cutting off the oxygen from his lungs and he pushed himself up, the room spinning as the blood rushed to his head.

  
Of course the driver had made it out okay. It was so typical. The bad guy makes it out unscathed when the innocent gets killed. He glanced at his sister, the surprise plain in his eyes and her hand on his leg squeezed harder. Isabelle looked like she was about to cry herself but she smiled slightly, a sad smile which meant she was going to say something that was supposed to help.

  
“They saying he’s going to get a life sentence though.” Her voice had a trace of cheerfulness, hanging onto that last bit of hope which could make the situation better. It quietened again when she next spoke. “The trials not for another couple of weeks though… he’s still recovering himself. The police are saying they can’t really do much since there aren’t any known witnesses.”

  
Alec spoke before he really had a chance to think about what he was saying.

  
“There is a witness.”

  
The words seemed to catch Isabelle off guard as she stopped whatever she was about to say. Her eyes widened in surprise and her head slightly cocked to the side.

“What? There is? Who?”

  
“I… “ It was now or never. There was no turning back now. “Me. I’m a witness.” The words seemed like fire in Alec’s throat. He could feel the beginnings of nausea in his stomach and he refused to look in his sister’s direction.

Isabelle gasped, her hand removing itself from his thigh as it covered her mouth. The shock seemed to last only a second before she reached out, pulling Alec into a tight embrace.

  
“Dios, Alec. I’m so sorry.” He leaned into her arms, comforted by the feeling of his sister being so close and he felt the lump in his throat as tears pushed themselves out of his eyes. Isabelle pulled him closer, stroking his hair and whispering small phrases to him in Spanish.

There was something more comforting about the language than English. It brought back so many memories of when they were children and their mom would sing Spanish lullabies to them before they went to bed. Once they got old enough and she stopped, every time one of them was upset, they would crawl into the other’s rooms and sit there together, arms wrapped around each other as they would sing to each other like their mother had.

“It was horrible, Iz. I was just walking and this car came out of nowhere… speeding down the road and then Teddy’s car was suddenly there and…” The words caught in Alec’s throat. Alec debated whether to mention the mysterious MB or not. On one hand, it would open up a whole new conversation that Isabelle would definitely have something to say about but it left so much out of the story that he wasn’t sure he could lie about. He took a deep breath before continuing, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. “There was a door… it flew off Teddy’s car and came right for me.” 

“Alec…” 

“I got pushed to the ground by some guy. I don’t know who he was but he took me away from the crash.” He took a deep breath.

“Then there was an explosion and… that’s the last thing I remember from it all.” 

It helped, saying it out loud. That’s what they always said, at least it’s what the countless therapists Alec had gone through had always said. And they were right, in a way. Saying it out loud lifted a huge weight off of your shoulders and this was the largest one Alec had ever had to carry. 

“Alec… I am so sorry.” Isabelle’s voice was quiet with a mix of shock and sympathy. “You shouldn’t have had to witness that.” Izzy pulled him into another tight embrace. 

She didn’t ask any more questions about the guy who pulled Alec away and he was glad for that. That was something he didn’t want to get into just yet. He rubbed his eyes again, this time with his shirt sleeve and he realised he hadn’t changed since yesterday. The shirt smelled of smoke from the fire and the cigarettes and dirt was making the fabric scratchy. 

“Hey, Iz? I’m going to go take a shower. I haven’t had time to get changed since yesterday and I just… I feel dirty.” Alec stood up, squeezing Izzy’s fingers gently before walking out of the room. 

Alec needed the shower more than he thought. The smell of smoke covered him from head to toe and he binned the whole outfit instead of deciding to wash it. It was just one less thing he had that reminded him of the night.

He scrubbed himself clean, deciding to use Teddy’s shower gel instead of his own. The smell was a gentle vanilla that Alec had always loved. 

He spent as much time as possible in the shower, just letting the water pour over his skin and wash away all of the dirt from the past 24 hours. He felt exhausted, every muscle seeming to protest against him as he scrubbed at his skin until the skin turned red.

When he finally stepped out, the cold air was a harsh reminder of real life and Alec closed his eyes, bracing himself before he headed back to their bedroom. 

Izzy’s eyes cast around the room, looking at the multiple pictures of her brother and Teddy that lined the walls and various pieces of furniture as well as the ones of Alec and his siblings. Alec always insisted on taking photographs of happy moments. It had been another piece of advice given to him by a therapist and it was the one that stuck the strongest.

Make the happy memories last and they can help push out the sadder ones. 

For a while, Izzy had thought that her brother would never be happy. His entire life had been dictated by their parents and Alec had gotten so close to just ending it all. It was only when a stranger caught him on the Brooklyn Bridge and decided to spark up a conversation that he had survived that period at all. And the pair had become close friends before deciding to take their relationship one step further. 

Izzy smiled at a picture that had been placed on the windowsill recently. It was taken at Isabelle’s wedding and Alec had been sat on one of the benches when Teddy decided to dramatically throw himself over his boyfriend’s lap. Alec looked so shocked, his eyes wide and his mouth open as Teddy laughed on his legs. She went to pick up the frame, fingers just barely brushing the top as the sound of a noise coming from by the kitchen window pulled her from the moment. She cocked her head to the side as another noise followed and she cautiously walked over to the kitchen to investigate

It wasn’t as bad as Alec had thought it would be. The room was cold, the window still open as Teddy always liked it and everything just seemed so… normal. The bed hadn’t been made, the covers strewn over Alec’s side and various items of Teddy’s clothes covered the floor. It had always been an argument between them, that Alec was much tidier than Teddy and no matter how many times Alec had brought it up, the mess always ended up coming back. He could hear himself complaining when

Teddy had gotten home from work, throwing a pair of underwear at the other man’s face to make a point. The pair of them laughing as Teddy put them on his head properly and thanked Alec for starting a new fashion statement. Alec welcomed the memories rather than pushing them away.

Tears began to sting his eyes again as he sat on the bed, breathing in the scent of aftershave and cologne. The sound of a yell caught his ears and Alec was suddenly cursing under his breath as he quickly dried himself, pulling on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt that had also belonged to Teddy and made his way back to the kitchen. What on earth could be happening now? 

Izzy was standing in the living room, waving her arms about as she looked around the room, looking distressed. She glanced up as Alec entered the room, her dark eyes wide and she spoke fast as she apologised.

“Alec, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to, I was just looking to see what was going on and it just… oh dear, I don’t know where it’s gone.”   
She looked around again, walking over to the sofa to peer behind it. 

“What are you talking about? What’s going on?” 

The question seemed to answer itself as Alec felt something brush up against his leg. He didn’t need to look down to know what it was.

The soft mew that followed was confirmation enough and Alec suppressed a sigh. 

“I’m sorry.” She was still talking fast, using her hands to express her words and Alec couldn’t help but notice it was a trait she had learned from him. “I heard a noise by the kitchen window and when I opened it, it just hopped in. I tried to grab it but it got away from me and then I couldn’t find it and-“ 

“Iz, it’s fine. It’s okay.” Alec reassured her. “This cat has been hanging around me lately. I don’t know what it wants. For some reason it really seems to like me.”

He looked down as the cat brushed itself against Alec’s leg again, purring to itself. It seemed weirder seeing the cat now, perhaps because the last time he had seen it was just seconds before the crash. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that the cat had been there. 

“He’s a cute little thing, isn’t he? I love the red patch near his ear.” Isabelle reached down to stroke the cat and it purred, not moving from his position from Alec’s legs. “Maybe you should keep him.” 

“I… I shouldn’t. I mean-“ 

“Oh come on, Alec. What reason do you have not to?” 

Alec considered this for a second. He had always wanted another cat but because of Teddy’s allergies, they couldn’t. There was nothing stopping him now but… it seemed wrong somehow. 

“He might have his own owners. I could be stealing their cat.” It was the best he could think of. Isabelle didn’t seem impressed and she looked at Alec with her eyebrow raised. 

“You really think he’s hanging around here so much if he had owners to go back to? Come on, Alec. It might be nice for you to have a companion.” Isabelle was still scratching the cat’s ears and the purring was steadily getting louder. “See, I think he agrees too.” 

Alec sighed, he supposed she was right. After all, the cat showed no signs of leaving him alone and there wasn’t much else he could do. The cat looked up at him then, meowing loudly before walking over the kitchen and pawing at the fridge. Isabelle chuckled she followed the cat over. 

“I can give him some food, right?” 

Alec nodded “There’s some ham on the top shelf.” 

He gazed out of the living room window, spotting Simon, Isabelle’s husband’s car in the visitors parking spots. Simon was seated at the wheel and he looked up, giving Alec a wave as he spotted him from the window. Alec gave a brief wave back. It wasn’t that Simon and Alec didn’t get along, in fact it had greatly improved since they had first met but the duo still weren’t close. 

“Oh, yeah.” Isabelle had suddenly appeared behind Alec again. She was holding half of a sandwich in her hand and she chewed the bite before speaking again. “I did ask him if he wanted to come in but he said it was probably best to stay in the car. Jace also wanted to come over; he’s been worrying since he couldn’t get hold of you last night.”

“My phone died… oh, right. I should probably that on charge.” 

“Mom rang.” Alec tensed slightly. It was never good when his mother had tried to get in contact. “She uh, she said she hopes you’re okay.” 

Alec moved away from the window, rummaging around on the coffee table as he tried to locate his phone. He cursed quietly to himself as he realised that it was in the pocket of his jeans. Isabelle was stills standing by the window, arms crossed over her chest as she looked at her brother. 

“Alec, she’s trying, you know.”   
Alec turned his back to his sister, moving back towards the hallway. 

“I’m not having that conversation with you, Iz. Not now.” 

He made his way back to the bathroom to grab his phone and when he returned Isabelle still hadn’t moved from her position by the window. The cat was now curled up on the sofa, purring away to himself and Alec sat next to it on the cushion as he plugged his phone in. The screen flashed up that it was charging and Alec found himself thinking of MB again. 

There was another knock at the door and Isabelle seemed to become animated again, her smile reappearing and her arms unfolded themselves. 

“That would be Jace.” She walked off, leaving Alec alone for a moment. His phone flashed white and Isabelle returned, Jace right behind her. There was something about seeing his best friend that instantly made Alec feel better and Jace didn’t waste any time in his affections. 

Alec had barely stood up before arms were being flung around him, pulling him tight. This was what he needed. His sister and best friend. Jace pulled back, looking into Alec’s eyes as he flashed one of his infamous smiles. 

“You okay, buddy?”

“What do you think?” 

Jace pulled him into another hug, this one more casual and Alec returned it. 

“I just want you to know, before anything else, that you are without a doubt my best friend and my brother and I love you so much I could just-“ 

Alec raised his eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. 

“Okay, who are you and what have you done with Jace? I’d like him back now please.” 

Jace grinned, another one of his big signature ones and Alec couldn’t help himself but to smile back. It felt like the first time in ages since he had. Alec turned away, turning his attention to the phone that was now constantly flashing on the table. He picked it up, scrolling through the multiple missed calls from Isabelle, Jace, Tessa and various other numbers. Alec picked out his mother’s number, one missed call and a text message that simply said “hope you’re okay”. 

Alec cleared the notifications away, not paying attention to any of them. Even as he put it down, he could see the flashing again as more notifications popped up. He moved it so that the screen was facing downwards on the table, blocking the screen. 

“Hey, guys?” Isabelle’s voice sounded cheerful from the kitchen, Alec almost felt like it was a normal day with his siblings, almost. “I’m ordering pizza if you want some?” 

“Pizza sounds great, Iz.” Jace responded, taking a seat on the couch. He had barely touched the cushion before he yelped, instantly standing again as a loud hissing sound resonated from the cushion. “What the fuck?!” 

“Oh, yeah… you don’t know about the cat.” Alec nodded towards the cushion where the cat in question sat cleaning its paws. Any sign of the aggression it had just had seemed to have disappeared and the cat yawned before closing its eyes. “He kind of lives here now.” 

“Since when have you had a cat?” Jace’s head was cocked to the side slightly, taking in the furry creature that was now purring quietly in its sleep. 

“Since today, isn’t it just adorable??” Isabelle reappeared from the kitchen, the phone in her hand as she crossed the living room. “Pizza’s going to be 15 minutes. In the mean time, I think we should think of a name for the little guy. I’ll start! Mr Fluffykins.” 

Jace barked out a laugh, perching himself on the arm of the sofa as far away from the cat as possible.

"I say Lucifer, that things a devil.” 

“Oh shush, Jace. Just because you can’t watch where you put your fat-“ 

“Say another word Iz and I’ll make sure you get none of your pizza” 

The two continued bickering, Jace mocking Isabelle’s tone as she tried to tell him exactly where he could go if he carried on the way he was going. Alec smiled at the pair, he even laughed as Isabelle pushed Jace off of the chair arm.

But then his mind was going to back to the reality of life and he stopped. He could hear his siblings in the background, the argument continuing as neither of them had realised his change in mood but it sounded more muted now. Alec found himself fiddling with his fingers, the ring on his right hand feeling slightly tighter than it normally did. His eyes caught the notepad again, the bold letters standing out but what really caught his eye was another message just underneath.

  
**What was Teddy doing?**

  
Alec began to feel another headache coming on as the message burned itself into his mind and he began making his way back to the kitchen. The bickering seemed to have stopped and Alec heard Jace asking if he was okay but he felt like he could’t respond. He simply nodded, not bothering to turn around as he stepped into the other room. The painkillers were still on the side but Alec wasn’t stupid enough to take anymore.

He wasn’t that far gone just yet. 

The sound of the doorbell ringing seemed to pull Alec out of his own thoughts and before he even really gathered what was happening, he seemed to be making his way towards the door.

Now that he thought about it, the last time Alec had eaten had been at the museum the day before and his stomach growled at the thought of food. The doorbell rang again and Alec called out a quick “coming!” Before making his way down the hall and to the door. 

The ringing came again and Alec was ready to face the delivery guy with his own rude greeting as he gripped the handle. A split second after he pulled the handle down, the door seemed to burst open and Alec felt himself flung back by the force of it.

This wasn’t a pizza delivery guy.

  
Alec took in the figure before him. The guy was dressed head to toe in black save for the green trim that outlined his jacket. Alec felt his mouth open but no words seemed to come out as the guy looked around the hallway before landing his eyes on Alec. 

“You.” The guy’s voice was deep, the kind that would probably make anything sound threatening. Even if he had said I Like Unicorns And Rainbows. Alec still couldn’t bring himself to move as the guy moved closer, his eyes narrowing the closer he got. “Where’s the necklace?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on:   
> Tumblr @ ragnorfellintomyheart   
> Twitter @ ireadwaytoomuch 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to get a little bit more interesting now!

“I-I’m sorry? What?” Alec looked the man up and down again, taking a step back. The man followed after him, not wanting to break the lack of space between them. The man’s eyes were still narrowed on Alec’s and if he hadn’t felt threatened before, he certainly did now.

“The necklace, Archer. Where is it?” The man looked behind Alec as he talked, almost as if he was surveying the hall.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You must have the wrong house.”

The man laughed at that, a sharp one that sounded an awful lot like a bark. “If you won’t give it to me, I’ll just have to take it from you.” 

“Alec?!” Isabelle’s voice rang from the kitchen.

“Is that the pizza?? Do you need the money?”

Alec didn’t take his eyes off of the man in front of him but he judged that by the sound of Isabelle’s voice she had walked out into the hallway.

“Alec, what are you doing?” He could hear the confusion in her voice and he took a second to look back at her.

“Just go and wait in the kitchen. I’m just dealing with this guy and then I’ll come back.” He turned back to the man who hadn’t moved from his position. The only difference was the smirk that he was now wearing, it made Alec’s anger grow just looking at it. What was this guy playing at?

“What guy?” Isabelle’s voice was getting closer and Alec heard her heels against the floor. “This asshole.” Alec waved his hand in front, gesturing to the man who looked like he was on the verge of laughing.

“He’s asking about some necklace and won’t leave.” Alec frowned as the man’s smirk grew. “I will call the police if you don’t leave.” The man seemed unaffected by Alec’s words as he continued to stand in the same position, the smug look never leaving his face. Alec felt Isabelle’s hand on his arm as she pulled him to look at her.

“I don’t think you’re feeling well, big brother. You should get some sleep.” Isabelle’s voice was full of concern, the tone soft and she rubbed Alec’s arm gently.

“What are you talking about?” Alec’s frustration grew. How could she not see the guy standing right in front of him? “I feel fine except for the annoyance that is some random person not getting out of my house.” His voice raised as he spoke, keeping his eyes tightly locked on the man’s.

“Alec…” Isabelle’s grip on his arm tightened and she lowered her voice. “There’s no one there.”

“What do you mean there’s no one there? He’s right there!” Alec waved his arm again, his voice growing louder. The man raised an eyebrow in Alec’s direction, not seeming to be surprised by the response Isabelle had given.

“Alec,come on.” Isabelle tugged on his arm. “The past few hours have been hard on you. You’re exhausted, the grief is probably getting to you. Let’s go take a nap.” She squeezed gently as she began to lead him out of the hallway. Alec caught Jace poking out of the doorway and immediately stood his ground again.

“Jace! You’ll back me up?? You see him right?!” Jace’s frown grew to match Isabelle’s as he looked around the room.

“What’s going on?”

“Alec thinks there’s someone in the hallway asking about some necklace.” Isabelle kept her voice low, her tone impassive but Alec could tell that she thought he must be going crazy. “I’m taking him for a nap. You know all those painkillers aren’t good for you, Alec.” Alec pulled at his arm, trying to shake his sister’s hand off.

“I’m not crazy. How can you not see him?? Jace, come on.”

Jace surveyed the hall, making sure to cover every corner and he shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Alec, buddy. There’s no one there…”

“I….” Alec looked over again at the man who was now chuckling to himself. Alec felt tempted to pinch himself and make sure that this wasn’t another of his nightmares.

As if the three siblings weren’t enough,Alec noticed a small ball of black fluff appear from around the door frame and the cat placed himself just outside of the door, licking his paws. Alec noticed that the cat’s eyes seemed to be trained on something in particular despite his grooming and Alec followed its gaze to where the man was still stood. This time however, the smug look seemed to have been wiped off of the man’s face. His eyes were wide, looking almost like a caricature with his expression. All colour seemed to have been wiped from the man’s face and his mouth hung open. Alec wondered if he’d never seen a cat before in his life.

The cat never seemed to take his eyes off of the man and Alec flitted his eyes back and forth between the two as Isabelle still pulled on his arm. Alec couldn’t even hear if they were talking anymore. The cat had stopped grooming now, sat still with his eyes unblinking. The man however seemed to have broken out of the trance he seemed to be in and was now taking steps back towards the front door.

Alec felt another hand grab his arm, a much stronger and bigger one this time that he knew he wouldn’t be able to fight off. Isabelle was one thing, she was a lot more lenient with her younger sibling instinct taking over when it came to Alec but Jace was another thing entirely. Alec felt himself being to be pulled but his eyes never left the man that was now exiting through the doorway. As the man left, Alec met his eyes and the man opened his mouth, speaking just one sentence that Alec almost could barely hear before disappearing completely.

Alec looked at where the man had retreated to, the doorway now empty as if he had never truly been there. Maybe his siblings had been right all along.

Once the man was gone, Alec let himself be lead to his room. He didn’t believe he was crazy. The man had been real but Isabelle and Jace wouldn’t lie to him. Maybe he did just need a nap. The cat followed closely behind and when Alec sat on the bed, it hopped up next to him and curled up against Alec’s leg.

Isabelle had also followed behind and as soon as Alec was seated, she sat down next to him on the bed gently rubbing his arm. Jace seemed to have disappeared and Alec figured he was probably going to leave this to Isabelle. It wasn’t that Jace couldn’t handle it. There were plenty of times over the years where Alec had come to Jace with issues and vice versa, both of them holding each other when life just got too much but Jace also knew when it was time to step back and let Isabelle deal with the situation.

“Alec?” Isabelle’s voice was barely audible in his ears. Ever since the cat had appeared in the hallway his mind had gone fuzzy, like he had been drugged. “Do you need anything?” She continued rubbing his arm, her voice low and sweet. “Just let me know, okay?” Alec tried to respond, opening his mouth as he went to say something but the words stuck in his throat like cement. His head felt heavy with thoughts and he managed a small nod in response to his sister.

“Me and Jace will stay here for now… just until you feel better. Or maybe it would be best if you came to live with us?” Alec shook his head. This was all bad enough as it was, he couldn’t imagine leaving the comfort of his home. The only place he could truly be himself. His sanctuary for the past five years. He may have lost half of his heart but this was all he had left.

Isabelle mentioned something about coming to get her if he had any problems before the sound of her heels grew quieter and the bedroom door closed. Once alone, nothing was there to stop the flood of thoughts that entered Alec’s mind at once. Alec was briefly aware of the press of the animal by his side as he leaned forward, a wave of nausea hitting him suddenly. Nothing seemed to come up and he burst into tears, the sobs ripping through his throat like sandpaper.

He was going insane.

It was the only option for what could be happening. This was all just a huge nightmare and he was going to wake up in some hospital with a head injury from the crash. That had to be it. He wiped at his eyes, feeling the gentle press of a paw against his arm and he turned his head to look at the cat next to him. The cat’s eyes were focused on Alec’s, wide and once again he found himself thinking that the cat was showing emotion. It was purring gently, rubbing the top of his head against Alec’s arm and gently pressing his paws into his hand as if it was trying to squeeze the palm. Alec closed his eyes, the feeling almost comforting despite all the chaos surrounding him. The words spoken by the man echoed in his mind. Alec was almost certain that it wasn’t English but somehow he had heard the words perfectly. _You might have your protection but we will get the necklace. Archer._

He wasn’t sure when but at some point he found himself falling asleep, curled up on Teddy’s side of the bed as he breathed in the familiar scent as much as he could. He had been expecting the dreams, almost wishing that one would come and whisk him away from the world that was now becoming less and less like a reality.

Alec woke up to a tapping against his arm and when he woke up, he found a pair of gold-green eyes starting back at his. He opened his mouth to say something but found a hand clasped against his mouth and the man opposite him held a finger to his own lips.

“I’m going to have to ask you to be quiet… can you?” Alec recognised the voice instantly. The eyes had already given away who it was but somehow hearting his voice was the confirmation he needed. Alec looked over at the clock. 1:40am. Had he really been asleep for that long?

“Alec, can you promise me you’ll be quiet?” The hand was still clasped over his mouth and he nodded slowly. The hand pulled back as M.B sat back on the bed, never taking his eyes off of Alec.

“How did you get into my apartment?” The words came out fast and loud. Alec was sure he saw M.B roll his eyes but Alec held out his own hand before M.B could cover his again. “And I swear to God I had better not be imagining you too.” This time, M.B sighed, pushing himself back on the bed to give Alec more space. He didn’t question the notion of Alec going mad, in fact he seemed unbothered by it. Alec was reminded of the man from earlier on, the way he had laughed as Alec made a fool of himself in front of his siblings. “You’d better answer me. I’ve already had enough bullshit to deal with today and I’m not in a good mood.” M.B sat forward at that, his eyes narrowing as his expression grew serious. The tone of the room seemed to completely change as his face did and Alec supressed a shiver. There was something about the man that made Alec feel terrified but like he could trust him all at once.

“I know this is probably really confusing for you, Alec. I get it. But you need to listen to me.” M.B sat closer, his voice was lower and Alec could tell that whatever he was about to explain was serious. “You’re in danger, Alec. The dreams, that necklace being stolen… Teddy’s death. None of it was an accident or a coincidence. You’re being targeted.” Alec’s eyes widened as M.B continued talking. Half way through a sentence, he cut off his words abruptly and he looked up, something seeming to catch his attention from outside. “Look, I can’t explain anymore right now but we need to go. Right now.” “What? I’m not going anywhere.” Alec frowned as M.B continued to keep his attention on whatever it was that had caught it.

“You come into my house with absolutely no explanation of how you got in except to tell me that I’m in danger and my boyfriend dying wasn’t an accident and now you’re expecting me to just leave with you??” M.B briefly turned his gaze to Alec’s, his eyes softening for only a second before he turned his head back to the door again. This time something had caught Alec’s attention as well. There were noises from outside of the bedroom and they seemed to be getting closer.

“Alec, look. You have every right to not trust me but that guy that was in your house earlier? He’s back and he’s brought friends. They will tear this place apart until they find what they want and that includes tearing down anyone inside the house as well. Please?” M.B held his hand out, his rings catching on the stream of moonlight, illuminating the metal and his slender fingers, the nails painted a dark red, the same colour that tinted his hair. Alec felt himself go cold at the words and he ignored the outstretched hand.

“My siblings were out there. I’m not leaving then if someone could hurt them.” M.B kept his hand outstretched, his expression growing more urgent as the noises got closer. Alec could hear people yelling now and the sound of banging as doors opened and closed.

“Your siblings are fine.” There seemed to be almost a pleading tone to M.B’s voice as he continued to hold out his hand. “I promise, now please. We have to go.”

“How do you know that? They were just out there a few hours ago.”

“Alec. We have to go. I swear on my life, your siblings are fine.” The sound of voices continued to get closer as they squabbled and Alec could hear them more clearly, discussing which rooms they would be searching next and that there had not yet been any sign of the necklace. M.B strained his hand out further, a pleading look in his green eyes and Alec heard the doorknob turn as someone began to open the door. He reached out, grabbing hold of M.B’s hand as the door swung open.

Alec blinked.

Once and then twice, taking in the view around him. The walls of his bedroom had disappeared, replaced by dingy wallpaper that looked like it hadn’t been changed since the 1980’s and the smell of smoke was thick in the air. Alec whirled around, trying to get a better grasp on the location and noticed the bed, unmade, in fact it didn’t at all look like anyone had stayed in it since he had the night before. Then all the blood seemed to rush to his head at once and he fell forwards, the floor getting closer and closer.

A pair of arms caught him before he managed to hit the carpet and Alec, for what seemed like the 10th time that day got another strong wave of nausea.

“It’ll wear off in a minute. It’s always like that, portalling for the first time.”

“Portal… what?” Alec lowered himself out of M.B’s arms and slowly onto the carpet, trying to force the churning in his stomach to disappear. He could hear the slur of his voice and a nap seemed really good right now. “You need to sleep.” He wasn’t sure what it was but there was something about M.B’s voice that made Alec feel safe. Even after everything that had happened, he felt like he was somewhere that he was safe and could trust. “Come on, you need to get up and into bed.”

Alec shook his head, exhaustion seeping into his body from the rude awakening he had experienced earlier and the strange change of scenery. He felt those arms wrap around him again as sleep began to take him and Alec hadn’t felt safer in days.

_The stone room was filled with the heat and light from multiple fires around the space. Where iron lamps cast an orange hue, shadows dancing on the walls as the lights moved, a fire burned in the set fireplace making the room seeming warm and inviting compared to the usual drab atmosphere it inhabited. Dancers filled the space, bright dresses and wigs flowing, their faces obstructed by equally as colourful masks shaped like various animals. The dancers blended together into a flurry of activity as the music sped up, the colours creating a kaleidoscope that hurt your eyes if you stared for too long. They weren’t the only people occupying the room and various figures dotted around the edges of the room, men and women chatting amongst themselves, a drink in the majority of their hands as they enjoyed the festivities._

_Alexander wasn’t focused on the dancers. Instead, he was leaning against the wall near the main door into the ballroom, juggling an apple from hand to hand with complete boredom. Unlike everyone else, his was face was bare of a mask and he hadn’t bothered to find a colourful outfit, instead finding comfort in a dark pair of trousers and a dress shirt. The only reason he hung around was because his father had made him promise that as the future heir to their land, it would be discourteous for the heir to not turn up. It was also going to be a good opportunity for Alexander to find a wife his father had promised but frankly, Alexander was not at all bothered about the prospect of a wife or what the members of his father’s association thought of him. So he was there, milling about by the door where he could make a quick exit if required, exchanging pleasantries with guests who wandered in his direction and wondering when the night would be over so he could return to his book._

_His father had brought multiple potential suitors in his direction, each one turned away politely and sent back to their own fathers. Alexander had watched at how his father reacted with each one, the way that he tightened his hand around the cup he was holding, how even with the mask the anger in his eyes could be seen from across the room and Alexander relished in it._

_The apple he had been juggling fell to the ground, rolling across the stone floor. It weaved its way through the dancers, somehow missing their feet as they twirled and stepped. Alexander watched it, focused on the gleam of the glossy surface as the light hit it until it stopped, hitting the ankle of a figure on the other side of the room. The gentleman leaned down with grace, gloved fingers picking the fruit and he looked up slowly, eyes scanning the room for the owner. Alexander stood still, not wanting to draw attention to himself but unable to keep his eyes off of the gentleman. Their eyes met and then the gentleman began walking towards him, moving with a gracefulness that reminded Alexander of a cat. Perhaps that was why the gentleman had chosen a mask that donned the animal, a simple black mask with pointed ears and whiskers. A necklace hung around his neck, made of gold and in the middle sat a green gem unlike anything his father had brought home from his travels. Another gem sat resting on his wrist, an almost identical bracelet to the necklace._

_Alexander held his breath as the gentleman stopped in front of him, holding out the apple in an offering._

_“I believe this belongs to you?” There were plenty of accents that Alexander had heard in his lifetime. After all, his father prided on his international affairs but this was unlike one that he had experienced. It was almost like it was from everywhere at once, a confused mix of multiple homes. A traveller. Alexander took the apple from his hands, gripping it tight._

_“Thank you.”_

_“You are very welcome, Alexander.”_

_His eyes widened at that, confusion clear on his face and the other gentleman chuckled, extending his hand again in greeting._

_“You seem surprised by your own fame. Everyone here is aware of who you are, son of the chancellor. Do not act so confused.”_

_Alexander extended his own hand, meeting the gentleman’s and shaking it gently. The gentleman had very slender hands, long fingers that contradicted with Alexander’s own. Over the years his hands had become weathered from the constant use of working on his archery skills and helping out in the stables. Alexander wondered how soft the skin was underneath his gloves and then cursed himself._

_“The real question is, why are you not joining in with your father’s party? After all it is surely a great reason for celebration.” There was an undertone of something bitter in the words, barely noticeable unless you were paying close attention and Alexander wondered if the gentleman was against the burnings. “My father’s parties do not interest me. He simply uses them as a method to try and marry me off to the next aristocrats daughter that happens to be in town and show off his wealth.” Alexander frowned. “Besides, there is no celebration in a woman’s death.”_

_At that, the gentleman’s eyes lit up, a small smile growing. His eyes were fascinating. A sea of green, broken by flecks of gold that stood out under the firelight. There was more emotion in them than Alexander had seen on hundreds of his father’s men. “But surely the death of a witch is, yes?”_

_“She was a woman. A woman with a child that now has no mother. There was no evidence to back up the claims that labelled her a witch, just the words of her sleazy husband that had his greedy eyes on her property. It is no celebration.”_

_The gentleman’s smile grew again and he extended his hand out again. “I’m Magnus. I believe we could have something’s in common.”_

Alec was tired of waking up feeling like there was a weight on his heart. No matter how long he slept, he couldn’t feel refreshed or at peace. It had only been little more than a day but it felt like weeks, exhaustion clinging to every piece of his body and making him feel like lead. He pulled his eyes open, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu as he looked around the motel room, propped on the bed like he had the night before. A figure was resting in the window, leg propped on the side and the other hanging to the carpet. M.B hadn’t changed clothes since they had last seen each other and Alec wondered if he had even been back here at all. He pushed himself up despite the protest in his muscles and cleared his throat.

M.B turned around at the noise, slowly bringing his leg down and sitting himself to face the bed. There was a cigarette hanging from his fingers and a small smile playing on his lips as he took a drag, the smell of smoke filling the air.

“You’re awake, good.” M.B took another drag before stubbing out the cigarette on the windowsill. “You want answers, I’m prepared to give them to you but only if you can handle them.”

“I can.”

“You say that, but most people who discover that they’re not the person they thought they were find it difficult to take in. But fair enough, Alexander. Let’s begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on:  
> Twitter @ireadwaytoomuch  
> Tumblr @ragnorfellintomyheart
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus tells Alec everything. Alec isn't entirely sure what to make of it all, but for some reason he can't stop himself from trusting the guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, sorry for there being such a break between the last chapter and this one! My work's been pretty hectic with the holidays and I just haven't found time to do much writing. 
> 
> I finally managed to get the new chapter done so please, enjoy! 
> 
> Also, I was wondering if you guys would be interesting in doing a livetweet? I know a lot of authors do it so let me know what you think :)

Magnus lit up a cigarette before speaking again and the smoke hitting his lungs was a familiar pain, the nicotine seeping through his body and relaxing his mind as he took the first drag. Alec was watching him from the bed, eyes trained on Magnus’ with a fierce intensity that Magnus found it hard to believe the last time they were in this position, Alec was distraught with grief, begging Magnus for help. “Well, Alexander.” Alec flinched as Magnus repeated the name and he couldn’t help but wonder what could have caused such a hatred towards hearing the extended version of his name. Magnus swung one of his legs down, letting it hang casually by the window seat.

“What would you like me to tell you first?”

“I want to know what happened to my brother and sister.” The words were cold, Alec’s mouth falling further into a frown.

“Your siblings are at home, asleep in their beds.” Magnus waved his hand nonchalantly and he spoke in a matter of fact. “They won’t remember what happened yesterday.” He took another drag of the cigarette, not letting his eyes leave Alec’s. Magnus could see the cogs turning in Alec’s head, could see the way that his eyebrows furrowed and lines appeared on his forehead as he tried to imagine what could be happening. _The poor guy thinks he’s going crazy_ , Magnus thought.

“What do you mean by that? Did you drug them or something?” His voice was now steel, sharp and unnerving. It was enough to almost make Magnus flinch. Almost. “Not at all, my dear Alexander. I simply…” he waved his hand again, pausing in between words. “have my ways. I promised you they were safe and they are. You can even ring them to make sure, except maybe leave it for later. I doubt they’d appreciate being woken in the early hours of the morning.”

That seemed to ease Alec slightly, the furrow of his brow decreasing just a slight amount and his shoulders seemed to sag as if they could simply no longer hold their weight. Magnus tried his best to look as passive as he could. Now was not the time for them to discuss their feelings towards each other, despite how contrasting they may be but it was hard to ignore how exhausted Alec looked, not just physically but emotionally as well. There were dark circles underneath his hazel eyes, black enough to almost appear as bruises and his face screamed fatigue, all of his beautiful features were slouched. Magnus wanted nothing more than to let him sleep somewhere comfortable, somewhere that he knew they would both be safe but for now it would be impossible. He wasn’t even sure how long they would be safe here in the motel.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on now?” The sound of Alec’s voice snapped Magnus out of his thoughts and he took another drag of the cigarette that was now dangerously close to burning his fingers.

“You’re being hunted, Alexander. I told you that much. Those people that broke into your apartment are looking for an artefact that holds a great power unknown to this world- a power that less than a month ago arrived in New York to be put on display.”

“You mean the necklace? The one that was stolen?” Magnus nodded, watching as Alec took in the information. “Why are they after me? Tessa is the curator, she dealt with the necklace. I’m nothing.” Magnus smiled at the words, a sad smile and he wished he could counteract the comment. _Oh, Alexander. You are so much more than nothing_. Instead, he waved his hand again, putting the cigarette butt out on the windowsill.

“The previous owner of the necklace was a man known as Alexander the Archer.” Magnus raised his eyebrow, his mouth curved into a smirk. “Not quite as magnificent as Alexander the Great” and then he muttered under his breath, just so Alec could hear “Although he was much better in bed.” Magnus clapped, raising his voice again. “But nonetheless, the Archer was much more fitting to his personality. It was said that Alexander would pass the necklace down to someone who would bear his name. They believe that’s you.” The pieces seemed to be turning in Alec’s mind as he listened. He reached a hand out of his lap and ran it through his hair, his brows furrowing again in confusion.

“That’s ridiculous. The necklace came from Indonesia, a place I’ve never visited in my entire life. Nor have any of my family that I’m aware of.”

“I never said they had to be family.” Magnus’ smirk grew. “Just that Alexander was adamant that the necklace fell into the hands of someone who bore his name. Like you, Alexander.”

“That’s another thing.” Alec frowned, interrupting Magnus' speech and looking into his eyes. Magnus couldn’t help but admire how the other man never failed to speak his mind. “I never told you my name. Have you been spying on me? You were right there at the crash, knew exactly where I lived, I saw you drive with no uncertainty, you know my name and appear in my apartment exactly as those men got in.”

“I might have been. But I assure you, I’m no peeping tom.” Alec frowned more and Magnus simply responded by shrugging his shoulders. “If I want to see someone naked, I’ll ask them outright.”

“I didn’t mean-“

“Alexander- Alec. It may have been a secret to you that those men were after you, but it certainly wasn’t to everyone. In fact, they’ve been watching you for years but because there had been no sign of the necklace, there was no need to intrude. When the necklace arrived in New York, coincidentally landing at your place of work, they took it upon themselves to move in.” Magnus swung his other leg round, placing them both firmly on the floor and he leaned in, his smile deceasing. “There’s another thing you should know…it wasn’t a coincidence that you ran into your boyfriend 6 years ago.” This made Alec react. His eyes widened to a size that Magnus thought was almost impossible and his whole body seemed to stiffen.

“Wh-what?” Magnus looked down at the floor. This had been the part he was dreading and there was no way he could look at the man in front of him while he broke the news.

“Teddy. Theodore Jessop. He was an agent working for an organisation that has been trying to locate the necklace.”

“Are you telling me-“ There was disbelief all over Alec’s voice and his words were shaking. Magnus couldn’t look up.

“No, Alec. He wasn’t working for the men who broke into your apartment. He was working for a different organisation, the same one that I am working with. His job was to locate and protect the number one suspect that the necklace would fall to.” Magnus sighed, shaking his head. “No one was expecting him to fall in love with the guy he was protecting.” Magnus stole a glance up then, finding Alec with tears in his eyes.

“He was lying to me? This entire time?”

“Alec…”

“Don’t. I’ve had enough of this.” Alec stood abruptly, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. “You’re crazy. You really expect me to believe that Teddy, the love of my life for 6 years, was lying to me every single day? That I’m being chased because of some stupid necklace that supposedly has been left to me by some guy who has the same, very common, first name as I do?? You’re delirious. And I’m going home. To grieve by myself.” Alec moved towards the door, holding his arm out to grasp the handle.

“Alec wait! I can prove it to you.” Alec’s hand wavered over the handle, suddenly stopping in his tracks. Magnus got up from his seat on the windowsill and moved over to the other man. Alec didn’t look away from the door, didn’t drop his hand from the position it was in and Magnus moved to stand beside him, close enough to touch if he wanted. “May I?” There was no response from Alec and Magnus reached out his hand slowly, waiting for any sign of a response. He moved closer, letting small blue flames lick the edge of his fingers as he brushed Alec’s cheek. The other male stiffened under the touch but still didn’t move and Magnus laid his palm against the smooth skin, closing his eyes.

_The coffee shop was busy, the lunch rush in full swing and Magnus was glad he had found himself a seat before it had begun, two drinks already waiting on the table. He looked around the space, trying to find the familiar face he was waiting for. Another fifteen minutes passed before Teddy stepped through the doors, the biggest grin plastered on his face and his blond hair unruly like someone had been dragging their hands through it. Magnus frowned as his companion took a seat opposite, pulling the neck of his coat up slightly as if to hide something._

_“What took you so long?”_

_“Sorry…” the grin was still plastered on Teddy’s face and his voice was full of energy. “We got a little bit carried away this morning.” He pulled at the neck of his coat again and Magnus noticed the top of a dark purple mark. It made him frown more._

_“You’re supposed to be watching him, Ted. Not sleeping with him.” Teddy blushed at this, the red flushing across his face as the smile slowly disappeared. “I know, Magnus. But I can’t help it that he’s so… so wonderful. Surely you can understand.” Magnus sipped at his coffee, his expression remaining unimpressed._

_“If you won’t start taking this seriously, we’ll find someone else. You can’t be protecting him if you’re too busy staring at his ass all the time.”_

_“Magnus…”_

_“I’m serious, Ted. You know how important this is. If the higher ups find out about your relationship, you’ll be fired. And Alec will be in the hands of someone else, someone who probably won’t be as kind.” Teddy flinched at the words, his head hanging low._

_“I can’t, Magnus. I can’t help it that I’ve fallen for him. And I know he feels exactly the same way.” This time it was Magnus’ turn to flinch, unable to hide the stiffening of his body. He knew it was stupid, being jealous. After all, Alec wasn’t his now and he was perfectly able to do whatever he wanted but the words stung. He had warned Imogen that this would happen- that anyone else would be as unfitting to watch over Alec but she had dismissed him with a flick of her wrist and stern words that he was too close to the case to be involved._

_“You either break it off, or someone else gets assigned.”_

_“Maybe you can…?”_

_“Absolutely not.” The look of hope on Teddy’s face dropped almost as soon as it had appeared and he groaned, leaning over the table to take Magnus’ hands._

_“Please, Magnus? You won’t have to all the time. I can call you if I think something’s going on.” He gripped Magnus’ hand tighter and his eyes had gone into full puppy dog mode. “You know this case better than anyone. You’d be perfect for it. You want him to be happy right?” Magnus thought over the words carefully. Of course he wanted Alec to be happy, there was nothing more in the entire world that he wanted but this was going to be too dangerous. Why though? The question invaded his mind. Imogen didn’t have to find out, after all Teddy would still be doing the main work, Magnus would just have to step in when required. It’s not like he would be getting up close and personal._

_“Fine. Okay, I’ll help you out. But I swear, if you hurt him…”_

Magnus’ eyes flew open as he removed his hand from Alec’s cheek. He moved backwards, creating a distance between the two of them and the flames died down from his palm. Alec was unmoving, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, tears flowing down his cheeks where Magnus’ hand had just been. Magnus wanted to reach over, to comfort him and tell him that everything would be okay. That Teddy had loved him regardless of what he had told him and their relationship wasn’t a lie but he knew he couldn’t. That Alec wouldn’t listen to what he had to say.

“Alec…” The words seemed to snap Alec out of whatever trance he was in and he broke. It wasn’t the first time Magnus had seen Alec break like this, it was how they had first met after all but it didn’t get any easier. Alec fell to the floor, burying his head in his hands as sobs racked his body. Magnus stood back, not wanting to get into the other man’s space. Magnus waited until Alec was mostly silent before walking over and bending down beside the other man. He reached out, placing a hand on Alec’s shoulder and squeezing gently. Alec’s whole body seemed to flinch at the touch and Magnus considered drawing his hand away.

“I know this is a lot to take in and I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this… but I’m here, okay? I know you may not trust me, you may not even like me and that’s okay but I promised someone very important to me that I would take care of you no matter what.”

“And what good does that do?” Alec voice was broken, quiet in its exhaustion. “It doesn’t bring back Teddy. It doesn’t bring back the life I had two days ago. I want to go home and be with my siblings. I want to forget any of this has happened.”

“I wish I could help you, I really do.”

“Why? So you can send me back to your superiors and let them keep me imprisoned until they get their hands on this stupid necklace?” Alec looked up at him, his expression sharp despite the remains of tears. “You don’t care about me. You don’t even know me.” His eyes bore a hole in Magnus’ own and Magnus found himself looking away from the gaze.

_Oh, Alexander. If only you knew…_

“I know you might feel that way but I promise, I will not hurt you.” Magnus lifted his hand gently away from Alec’s shoulder. He saw the way that Alec slumped once his touch was gone, as if it was the only thing holding him up. “It’s late and you’re exhausted. Get some more sleep and we can discuss this more in the morning. There’s still a lot you need to know.”

“I don’t want to know anymore…” Alec’s voice was quiet, the quietest that Magnus had heard it so far. He sounded so innocent, so pure and Magnus cursed himself for being part of the reason that Alec was now part of a world that was far from innocent or pure.

“Of course you do, darling. We haven’t yet talked about magic.” Magnus’ smile was small, a reassurance that he was hoping Alec would take notice of. There was a small hum in response and Magnus realised that other male was barely awake, swaying slightly where he was sat. Magnus wondered if it would always be like this from now on, waking in the middle of the night to find Alec in a sort of distress until exhaustion claimed him again. He hoped it wasn’t, for both of their sakes. He had seen people go mad from these situations before and it was something he would never wish for anyone, especially not the person that he cherished most in the world. Carefully, Magnus lifted Alec onto the bed and made him as comfortable as was possible on the cheap mattress. In sleep, Alec was at peace and Magnus could almost forget that things were different now. That he couldn’t climb into bed beside him, hold him close and whisper sweet nothings in his ear and kiss every piece of skin that he was able to. He would wipe every tear that fell, sooth Alec’s pain until all that was left was the two of them, their own haven where no one could hurt them or do them wrong. Things would go back to the way they had been. Instead, Magnus ran a hand gently through Alec’s hair, whispering a promise of a good life before moving back to the window and settling down to get some rest himself.

~

_Alec didn’t find himself dreaming of strange men and masquerade balls this time around. Instead, he was sat at his kitchen table, the sounds of familiar music playing from the speaker in the corner. There was a small, velvet box in front of him on the table and Alec reached over to flip the lid open. The ring inside was like a punch to the gut. The first time he had seen it was an accident. He had been stumbling blindly in the early morning, searching for a pair of underwear when his hands landed on the box in Teddy’s drawer. When he had realised what the box was, he had chucked it back in the bundle of clothes like it was made of lava. He had checked the next day to see if it was still there but it had gone. Now it was here, staring at him like it was deciding the rest of his life._

_The ring was a symbol of everything they could have together. The life that both of them had wished for, the family they both had dreamed of since the beginning of their relationship with each other. Alec took the ring out of the box cautiously, testing the weight of it before slipping it onto his ring finger and holding it out in front of his face. It fit wonderfully, as Alec had expected and the colour matched his eyes with a perfection that only Teddy could have picked out. Alec sighed, clenching and unclenching his fist and feeling the ring where it should be. A pair of arms snuck around Alec’s waist and he grinned, leaning into the other body as a kiss was pressed into his hair._

_“You look beautiful with that on.” Alec looked behind him, focusing on Teddy’s smile. He leaned up, pressing his lips against his boyfriends before turning his attention back to the ring._

_“You always say that about everything I wear.” Teddy chuckled, reaching over and interlocking their fingers._

_“That’s because you’re always beautiful, Alec. It’s one of the many things I loved about you.”_

_“Loved?” Another kiss was pressed into Alec’s hair, softer this time. Alec wished he could lean into the touch forever._

_“Magnus will take care of you now.” Teddy’s voice was low and Alec could hear the sadness in it. “You might not trust him right now but he was a good friend of mine. He’ll make sure you’re safe.”_

_“What are you talking about? Where are you?” Alec turned, facing Teddy again. He felt tears fill the sides of his eyes but he wasn’t entirely sure why he was crying. “Teddy?” Teddy smiled again, pressing one last urgent kiss to Alec’s lips before stepping back, their interlocked fingers falling apart._

_“I love you, Alec. You have to know that.” Teddy continued stepping back, his fingers still reached out as if they were trying to hold on. Alec reached out his own, desperate to rejoin their hands but for some reason he couldn’t leave the chair. “No matter what you might find out about me, it was because I loved you. I always will.” And then Teddy was gone, leaving Alec alone in their kitchen, the song that had been playing when they’d gone on their first date together in the background and the weight of their entire relationship on Alec’s finger._

~

Alec woke crying. The tears were streaming down his cheeks and he fought back a sob, covering his mouth with his hand. He could see the outline of Magnus on the windowsill, his head rested against the wall and small streams of light making his face visible. From the way his chest slowly lifted up and down, Alec assumed he was still asleep and he sat up, rubbing his eyes on the back of his hand. He walked silently to the bathroom, locating the string on the side of the wall and switching the light on. The led bulb hurt his eyes for a second and he stopped in front of the mirror out of habit.

The reflection staring back at him was hardly recognisable. Never in Alec’s life had he ever seemed so… lifeless? Sick? He couldn’t quite think of the word for what could describe how he looked. It had only been 3 days so far since the necklace had gone missing and Alec’s world seemed to have done a 360 degree flip but it had taken more of a tole on him than months of stress and misery had done to him. The faucet spluttered for a few seconds before the water began to flow and Alec grimaced before splashing some of the cold liquid over his face. He wondered why Magnus was here, in this dingy motel room with no form of luxury to offer him when he certainly seemed like the type of man that enjoyed luxurious things. He stopped moving for a moment. _When did you find out his name was Magnus?_

Alec shook his head and walked back into the main room. Magnus was still sleeping on the windowsill, one leg propped upright and the other planted on the ground. He hadn’t changed out of his clothes, but then again neither had Alec, and Alec couldn’t help but notice how peaceful he looked while he was sleeping and there wasn’t some coy comment coming from his mouth or a cigarette between his lips. His stomach broke the silence, a low grumbling sound making Alec wince and he hoped it hadn’t woken the other man up. It hadn’t. Alec looked around the small room, noticing the lack of a kitchen or cupboards to keep food in and frowned as his stomach grumbled again. There was a small diner just outside of the motel, Alec remembered that much but he didn’t want to leave without letting Magnus know where he was going. After all, they still had unfinished business with each other.

~

When Magnus finally woke, the sun was bright and shining into his eyes. He sat upright quickly, stretching out the soreness that had overtaken his body and he looked around the motel room. The bed was empty and it was silent, causing Magnus to begin to panic. He rushed to the bathroom, pushing the door open to find it just as empty and he cursed loudly. Heading back to the main room, Magnus picked his phone up, getting ready to search for Alec and as he flung the door open, he almost bumped straight into a tray of food that was held out on the other side.

“Oh… you’re awake.” Alec’s eyes were wide as he looked at Magnus who was looking just as spooked. There was a container of food in his arms and his cheeks were rosy from the morning air. “I couldn’t find a notepad.” Magnus took a step back, letting Alec back into the room again. Alec was looking sheepish as he put the container on the bed and sat down next to it, opening the lid. The smell of breakfast filled the air and Magnus took in the sight of bacon, sausages and French toast in front of him.

“You… you bought breakfast?”

“I was hungry.” Alec was refusing to meet his eyes as he picked up a slice of toast. “And I figured you’d probably be hungry too. So here, eat.” Magnus cautiously walked over to the bed and took a seat on the other side of the container.

“Thank you, Alec.” He picked at a piece of bacon, savouring the heavenly taste before taking another slice. Had it really been so long since he’d last eaten properly? What was happening to him? Alec nodded in response. Magnus wasn’t going to bring up the night before just yet, not until Alec was ready to talk. He had seen how heartbroken Alec was and there was only so much a person could take before they completely lost it.

“Can I call my siblings? You said I could.” Alec sounded like a child asking for his permission. In any other situation, Magnus might have found it funny but there was nothing humorous about this scenario. “I don’t have my own phone on me.”

“Oh, yes. Of course.” Magnus unlocked his phone, handing the device over. Alec punched in a number and lifted the phone to his ear. A female voice sounded from the other end and Magnus noticed how relief flooded through Alec’s body. Alec stood, moving to the other side of the room to give himself some privacy and Magnus could hear brief snippets of the conversation. He heard Alec say that he was going away for a few days to clear his head, that his phone had been damaged in the accident and he would get a new one as soon as he was able. It was clear that the other person on the phone was concerned but Alec seemed to do wonderfully at making his story seem believable. As he hung up the phone, he was instantly punching in another number and having the same conversation. Magnus picked at the breakfast some more. The situation seemed to have completely changed since last night. Alec was screaming at him saying he wanted to go home, that he didn’t want to be here and nothing Magnus would say could change his mind and now he was telling his siblings that he was going away? Did that mean he believed Magnus’ story? Alec returned a few minutes later, pressing the phone into Magnus’ hand and taking a seat back on the bed. Magnus wanted so desperately to ask him what he was thinking, what he was planning and if he was okay but he held his tongue.

“You said you had more to tell me.” And Alec, in a true Alec fashion, always seemed to say exactly what Magnus wanted him to. “So tell me, I’ll listen.”

“Are you sur-“ “Tell me. I’m not a mess anymore. Not visibly anyway.”

“I’d disagree with that.” Magnus quipped, a small smirk playing on his lips and Alec frowned. “A hot mess, of course.” Magnus cleared his throat, trying to get rid of some of the tension that seemed to fall on the room. “You’re probably wondering how I got you here last night. And how I was able to show you that conversation.” He paused, making sure that Alec was paying attention. He seemed to be, his hands clasped in his lap and his eyes trained on the bed, open and alert. “You’re familiar with the Salem witch trials, yes?” Alec nodded. “They weren’t entirely wrong, about the presence of witches and warlocks. They just targeted innocent people who had nothing to do with them.”

“So you’re telling me that you’re, what? A witch? Warlock?”

“Warlock, yes. Although those terms are somewhat outdated.” That caused Alec to look up, his eyebrow raised and Magnus wondered if he still believed the story. “I can do magic, as you saw yesterday.” Magnus raised his hand, letting a small flicker of blue flames dance across his fingers. Alec’s eyes widened at the flames with wonder. Magnus let the flames die out until they disappeared completely. “Not many of us exist now. They were either killed during the trials or chased to other corners of the world. There are less than a hundred still left in America, we mostly keep ourselves hidden.”

“Why are you showing me?” Magnus rolled his eyes.

“Why do you think, Alexander? If we’re going to spending some time together, which I’m assuming you want to due to your conversation on the phone, you need to know what you’re dealing with. And more importantly, it’s vital that you know why I’m a pretty big deal.”

“And why is that?”

“Because.” Magnus grinned, waving a hand that donned a familiar ring. “That necklace belongs to me and I want it back.”

Alec frowned, mulling the words over. “You said it belonged to that Archer guy.”

“Always a wise one, Alec. Yes, the necklace did indeed belong to him but it was a gift, from me. Enchanted with a one of a kind magic that could give him what he always wanted. Eternal life.” Magnus smiled at the memory of when he had first handed the necklace over, the promises spoken between the pair of males. “Unfortunately, Alexander died before the necklace was able to work and well, the magic is still encased within the jewellery. Surely you can imagine why so many people want their hands on it?” Alec was still frowning although Magnus had noticed how he had been nodding along with the conversation.

“I still don’t understand what all of this has to do with me. You said that the necklace would be passed onto someone with the same name as him, but why am I suddenly a number one suspect?” Magnus lifted his gaze to meet Alec’s, the smile still lingering on his lips.

“Let me show you something.” He stood up from the bed, extending his hand down to Alec’s. Warily, but also surprisingly Alec took Magnus’ hand, allowing himself to be pulled up. They descended down the metal staircase of the motel in silence, their hands both now dropped to their sides. Alec recognised the car they were headed towards in the lot and stood back at a distance while Magnus unlocked the trunk, opening the hood to bare what lay underneath.

Magnus beckoned Alec closer, chuckling at the distance that separated them as if Alec had been expecting a wild animal in the back of the car. Instead, a selection of cardboard boxes piled up from the bottom of the trunk, they were the same sort of boxes you would find in a police station, dusty and old with various things written on the front in different languages. Alec could only understand one. **LIGHTWOOD**. Magnus completely ignored the box, instead picking out one further towards the back.

It was a small box, made of wood unlike the others and there was an engraved heart on the front. Alec noticed how Magnus smiled longingly at the box, how he ran his fingers over the woodwork; paying close attention to the heart. He gave the box one last touch before flipping the hatch and opening it up. Alec peered over Magnus’ shoulder, looking at the contents inside. There wasn’t much, a few pieces of paper that were yellowed with age, a simple ring made of silver and a painting, hidden away in the corner. It was the painting that Magnus focused on, lifting it out of the box carefully as if it would turn to ash the second away touched it too hard.

“This is why they believe that you are the one that Alexander chose.” It was blunt, a statement that Alec determined was not a speculation but fact. He took the painting from Magnus’ fingers, admiring how small it was and that the artist must have taken great care in capturing the likeness of the person. He brought the painting closer to his eyes, running his gaze over the figure before falling on his face. Alec gave a gasp as he stared closer. It was uncanny, the resemblance. The same dark, tousled hair, hazel eyes, jawling, nose, mouth, they were all the same. He looked up at Magnus, hoping that the other male could give some explanation. When he received no response, he glanced back down at the painting again, hoping that the image might have changed. He was greeted with the uncomfortable face that was captured on the small painting.

His face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: @Ragnorfellintomyheart  
> Twitter: @ireadwaytoomuch
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah this took way too long for me to update, sorry guys! I'm hoping to start updating more regularly for now on. 
> 
> Also things are pretty intense right now but I promise the next couple of chapters are going to be lighter. Pinky promise.

“I don’t understand… why does he look like me?” Alec was staring at the painting in disbelief. The piece was small but large enough that there was no mistaking the resemblance. “Magnus. Why does he look like me?”

Magnus seemed to react at his name being said. His eyebrow quirked upwards and his mouth followed afterwards in a smirk. “Well that’s what we don’t know. Alexander was killed in 1693 during the witch trials and then you turn up, 300 years later, looking exactly like him. It was enough to make anyone turn their heads in your direction.”

Alec couldn’t tear his eyes away from his doppleganger. There had to be some explanation, surely. He’d had heard of people looking exactly like figures from the past, but they were normally caught to be descendants and well, Alec had done a family tree once. There was no mention of this “Alexander the Archer.” No other Alexander at all.

“Alec? I’m sorry to rush you but we really should be heading back upstairs.”

Alec tore his eyes away from the painting, staring at Magnus blankly before processing his words. “Oh, right. Of course. Wouldn’t want to draw attention to the people who are hunting me.”

There was a certain hint of sarcasm to the words and Magnus tried to keep his expression sweet. “We most certainly don’t, darling.”

~*~

Once they reached the motel room, the mood had changed completely. After their breakfast this morning, Magnus was hoping that Alec was becoming more open with him, trusting him more but the discovery downstairs had completely closed himself back off again.

Alec was sat on the bed, idly playing with his fingers as Magnus busied himself around the room. They had been in silence since the trip to the car and Magnus was itching to start a conversation. Thankfully, he didn’t have to as Alec seemed to get there first.

“How long do I need to stay here?” The words were quiet but Magnus could sense the hostility in them.

“As long as it takes for me to find a way to keep you safe. I promised Teddy that much.”

The mention of his name made Alec flinch. He dropped his gaze to the floor, falling silent again.

“Alec, I know what it must seem but he did love you. He loved you so much that he was willing to give up his job for you.” Magnus seated himself next to Alec. “He couldn’t, because who knows what would’ve happened. Teddy wouldn’t have been able to see you again and someone else would’ve been assigned to watch over you. That’s why I decided to help. He was a good friend and I’m a sucker for love.” Magnus chuckled, hoping to get a reaction out of Alec but to no avail.

“What was he doing that night? Of the accident?” This wasn’t a conversation that Magnus had been prepared to have. He knew it would happen eventually, when Alec had come out of his grief but once more, he completely surprised Magnus as the words left his mouth.

“He was protecting you. A car had been following you from the museum, waiting until they had you cornered most probably. I… it was me who called Teddy. I told him there was someone tailing you and I had my eye on it but he decided to come and sort it out for himself.” It was hard, getting the words out. Alec had fallen silent again but he was listening. Magnus lowered his voice, feeling his own sadness “I didn’t expect the car to hit him. I’m not even sure if it was truly an accident or not. I was just as horrified as you were.”

“I didn’t see you there. Until you knocked me away, I never saw someone else.” Magnus smiled at that, pulling himself away from the bed. He stood in front of Alec, watching as the other man gazed upwards until he was looking Magnus in the face. Magnus raised his arms, feeling the blue sparks begin to surround his hands. He clicked his fingers, momentarily disappearing in a flash of blue before Alec looked down again, letting out a small gasp at the black cat that was now sat at the bottom of his feet.

“That… that was you?” Alec’s eyes were wide as the cat purred, rubbing his ears against Alec’s leg. There was a flash of realisation in Alec’s face just then. “That’s how you got into my house. Because I let you in.”

There was another spark of blue and Magnus was once again standing in front of Alec. “Indeed, sweetpea. I apologise for not introducing myself earlier but well, it would be a bit spooky if the cat you had taken in suddenly turned into a beautiful young man in front of your eyes.” Magnus couldn’t help the smirk. “Although I would gladly act out The Princess And The Frog for a kiss.”

“Do you ever stop?” The words weren’t irritable as Alec spoke them. Magnus almost thought he heard a hint of amusement.

“Never, darling. That’s my charm.” They settled into a more comfortable silence and Magnus took a moment to look at the pair of them. Alec was exhausted and it showed on his face. He was still wearing the same pair of clothes that he’d been wearing yesterday and he also hadn’t showered. Magnus was also aware that he hadn’t had a chance to take care of his appearance either and he suddenly felt dirty.

“I’m going to take a shower. You’re more than welcome to take one after me, if you’d like.”

“I don’t have any things…” Magnus also hadn’t thought about that. Alec had barely had time to get himself out of bed, let alone grab any spare clothes or toiletries.

“I’ll sort some out for you. Perks of having magic.” He winked before heading towards the bathroom.

There wasn’t a worry that Alec would disappear on him while he was gone. Alec had a perfect chance to escape earlier when Magnus had been sleeping and instead, he’d gotten them both breakfast.

~*~

The shower was heavenly as the hot water ran over his body. How he’d lasted this long without taking one was beyond his thoughts. But, Magnus supposed, Alec had always been the highest priority in Magnus’ mind. He would gladly never shower again if it meant that Alec was safe and well. Magnus ran his hands down his face, sighing deeply to himself.

He barely had a chance to wash himself before he felt something cross the wards he had placed around the motel. They were designed to alert him if anyone with malicious intents found their way in and he found himself frowning.

Magnus turned the water off, drying himself down with magic and dressing himself in a simple pair of black jeans and a purple tank top. He left his face bare, not wanting to go into the effort of applying his make up with the threat of an attack looming. From outside of the bathroom there was the sound of a crash and Magnus reached for the gun that was hidden behind the trash can before flinging the door open to the room.

The front door was open, blown off of the hinges and the room was empty, no sign of Alec anywhere. Magnus cursed himself, running from the room.

The view from his room gave him a clear shot of the parking lot and Magnus spotted the tall form of Alec easily from the balcony. There were two other guys with him, both dressed in white and Magnus could make out the dark ring around their necks. Alec was struggling, pulling against the guys arms as they dragged him towards a car and Magnus raised the gun in his hands. He aimed it carefully at the man situated nearest to him, finding the angle where he was satisfied that there was no risk of hitting Alec before taking the safety off and pulling the trigger.

The bullet seemed to hit its mark, the man screaming and clutching at his shoulder as red blossomed over the white blazer. Alec looked up, eyes scanning around until he saw Magnus from the balcony. Magnus thought he could see Alec’s lips curl up into a smile before the other man pushed Alec forward, rushing towards the car with an urgency that made Magnus chuckle.

Magnus pushed himself onto the ledge of the balcony, letting himself fall to the ground and he blessed whatever demon had given him his abilities before racing across the parking lot towards the car that the two men were now trying to shove Alec into. The uninjured man was frantically speaking into a headpiece and Magnus decided to give them a second to call for back up, slowing himself down enough until the conversation had finished and the man slammed the car door shut. The injured one was sat in the car next to Alec, holding him by the back of his neck and Magnus stalked towards the car, gun raised high at the other man that had now also drawn his own weapon.

“There’s no need for this, Bane! Just let us take the guy and we’ll be out of your hair!”

Magnus laughed, eyes narrowing as he stopped just in front of the car. “You’re even stupider than I thought if you think I’ll let you just take him.”

He was keeping one eye on Alec in the car, aware of how close the brute next to him was and the hold that he had on Alec’s neck. If he had his way, he would instantly had magicked the gun away, incarcerated them both and taken Alec by now. He couldn’t. Magic always left a print and by using it on these two goons he’d be setting himself up for someone to follow them. That was the mistake he’d made in the first place back up in the room.

They were caught in a cross fire. Neither refusing to give up their stance and the air was heavy with tension. Magnus knew that this couldn’t be kept up for much longer. The man in the car was bleeding out, looking more pale by the second and Magnus knew that he’d bleed to death if he didn’t get help. The other man didn’t seem to care about his partner – his eyes trained on Magnus with a steely glare.

“Come on, Bane. You don’t have to do this. What’s all of this for, anyway? Your Alexander is dead. You’re never getting him back. So, what? You want to replace him for a look-a-like? A copy that will keep your bed warm and skip alongside you before he too grows old and dies before your eyes?”

Magnus tightened his finger on the trigger, his face a blank sheet free of emotion as he tried not to let his frustration show.

“You’re pathetic, Bane. All of this for some measly wannabe?”

The shot rang out and Magnus stared at the blood that was now staining the man’s chest. His eyes widened as he realised that the gun in his own hand was cold, the trigger tight in his grasp but not fired. The man’s mouth was open, eyes wide as he realised his own fate before he fell to the ground lifeless. Magnus looked back, his eyes widening at the sight now in front of him.

Alec looked down at the gun in his hand, eyes wide as the realisation of what he’d done hit him. He’d killed a guy. He’d seriously just killed a guy.

“Alexander…?” Magnus’ voice was full of disbelief and he glanced at the car, finding the man who’d had his hold on Alec slumped against the seat. His eyes were closed and if he wasn’t dead already, he would be soon.

“I… Oh god.” Alec dropped the gun as he stepped back, looking at the scene in front of him “Oh fuck. What have I done?” He held his hands up to his face, covering his mouth. “I didn’t mean to… I just…”

Magnus found himself moving forward, placing his own hands on Alec’s shoulders and he looked the other man in the eye. “You didn’t do anything wrong, okay? It was self-defence.”

“I killed him, Magnus!”

“He would’ve killed you first. Come on, we can’t stay here now.” He turned away from Alec, fumbling around his pockets before he realised he’d left everything back at the apartment, including his packet of cigarettes. Magnus stopped, realising that Alec hadn’t followed and he looked back to find him still standing in front of the body.

“Alec. We need to leave before the cops come.”

Alec looked up, his eyes widening again at the words and sure enough, the sound of sirens made their way into Magnus’ears, far enough away for them to be able to escape without risk of being followed but close enough that they had to leave fast. The sound seemed to reach Alec’s ears as well and Magnus tried to ignore the urge to pull Alec close and never let him go as he took in the expression on his face. Alec took one last look at the ground, at the man and the gun and all of the mess that had been created around them before he looked up at Magnus, no hint of any of the previous emotions he had been wearing visible.

“Let’s go.”

~*~

The car was filled with an uncomfortable silence, as most of the time they spent in Magnus’ car seemed to be but there was an unspoken conversation between them, hanging in the air as Magnus pulled onto the highway. The action seemed to pull Alec out of his own thoughts and he frowned as he took in the long road ahead.

“Where are we going?”

Magnus pursed his lips, deciding whether to answer honestly or not. There was no point in lying, not really. Alec was going to find out sooner or later and he’d be pretty stupid to want to head back to New York with everything that had transpired this morning. “Pennsylvania. More specifically just outside of Pittsburgh.”

“What? Why?” Alec’s voice was raised and Magnus had to take a deep breath. He really didn’t fancy having another argument with Alec, especially not when they were only fifteen minutes into a six hour car journey.

“I have friends there, friends who can help.”

“In Pittsburgh?? That’s in the next state, Magnus!”

“It’s safe, Alec. We won’t stay long, just until we can figure out what to do next.” Magnus dragged his fingers through his hair, regretting more and more that he hadn’t brought his cigarettes with him. He’d need to stop off at the next service station…

“No. Absolutely not. Turn the car around.” Alec crossed his arms and Magnus couldn’t help but think that if they’d been standing, he might have stomped his foot down.

“I’m not turning the car around. You can’t go back there!”

“I’m not going to Pittsburgh either! Just drop me at a motel and I’ll figure something out myself!”

“Absolutely not.” Magnus kept his eyes on the road, ignoring the protests from the figure beside him.

“Magnus, I swear to God turn the car around right now.”

“Or what?” Magnus tore his eyes away from the road, looking into Alec’s own for barely a second to challenge him before turning them back to the road. Alec huffed next to him, sinking down into the seat in defeat. “I can’t believe I’m in a car with someone I’ve barely known for three days, travelling six hours out of state after some guys tried to kill me because I look like a dead guy.”

“Consider yourself special, darling.” Magnus waved his hand nonchalantly.

“I hope your friends have good food. I’m starving.”

Magnus’ own stomach grumbled at the remark and he remembered that apart from the breakfast they’d shared that morning, he hadn’t eaten a proper meal in close to a week. That breakfast seemed like a lifetime away as he thought about everything that had happened in between. “There’s a service station about an hour away, we can stop there for food.”

~*~

The hour journey to the station was probably the longest hour of Magnus’ life. Alec refused to talk to him, despite the many opportunities Magnus gave him to start a conversation and the growing withdrawal from not having a cigarette was eating him up, making him irritable and restless.

They finally pulled into the station, getting out of the car and making their way inside the small plaza that held a food court and various convenience stores. Alec seemed to perk up at the sight of the restaurants and began making his way towards one when Magnus caught his arm. “It’s probably best if we stay close together.”

Alec rolled his eyes, shrugging his arm free from Magnus’. “Okay, then you can come get food with me. Or do you not eat like we do?” There was curiosity in his voice and Magnus bit back a comment about being ignorant. Instead he raised an eyebrow, putting on his signature smirk.

“Oh, I’m more than capable of eating _anything_ I want darling.”

Magnus decided not to mention the blush that spread itself across Alec’s cheeks.

They ended up getting food together, sitting themselves down in a highly uncomfortable booth with hard plastic seats and a table that was far too low for their tall figures. Alec looked at the meal in front of him like he hadn’t eaten in weeks and immediately began tucking into his burger, letting out a small noise as he ate his first bite. “I forgot how much I loved this place.” Magnus bit into his own burger, finding himself making a small noise as the food hit his tastebuds. It really had been weeks since he’d last eaten fast food.

“You don’t eat burgers often?” Alec finished his bite, his eyes focused on the table all of a sudden.

“No, I do. It’s just this particular restaurant. We used to come through here on vacation a lot, my family, I mean. That was a long time ago though.” He bit his lip and Magnus noticed the sadness in his eyes. He had also noticed that Alec hadn’t mentioned his parents at all during their time together and only his two siblings despite there being a third one.

“Well, it is definitely good food.” Magnus smiled, trying to lift the other man’s spirits and Alec smiled weakly, dipping a fry in some ketchup.

“Yeah, it really is.” They finished their meal, both of them feeling full and Magnus welcomed the lazy feeling that settled over him from the food. They both went into the bathrooms, freshening up and getting everything out of the way for the rest of the journey before Magnus made his way into one of the convenience stores. He made his way straight to the counter when he realised that Alec wasn’t behind him. He looked back, finding the dark mop of hair easily above one of the other aisles. He turned back to the cashier, ordering more than enough cigarettes to last him a while before Alec joined him, his arms full of packets of snacks and drinks.

“How are you planning on paying for that?” Magnus raised an eyebrow as he placed it all in front of the cashier who started scanning them through.

“You’re the one dragging me on this trip.” Alec said casually, as if it was the answer to every question in the world and the smile he gave Magnus made him sour.

Alec Lightwood was a little shit, it seemed.

He’d made it through at least ten bags of chips when Magnus finally turned onto the street that lead up to their destination. The rest of the car journey had been less awkward than the first hour had been, Alec had been quite happily munching away on his snacks and had even offered some to Magnus at one point, who had refused. “I’ve got a figure to watch, Alexander.” Alec had scoffed and opened another bag.

Magnus stopped the car, pulling into the driveway of a small suburban house that looked like it came out a movie with the white picket fence and the colourful panelling. He smiled at the sight of the house, taking in the quiet of the neighbourhood. The sun was just beginning to set, the sky turning orange as if it was a fire that was burning away the day’s happenings. Magnus stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath. Alec got out shortly after, his hands empty of the bag he’d been holding and he wiped his hands against his jeans, cleaning them of the crumbs. “This is it?”

Magnus nodded, moving towards the front door. He knocked twice, noticing that the lights were still on and he waited as the sound of shuffling came from behind the door. The door swung open revealing a woman on the other side. Her dark hair was pulled back into a bun and she took in the sight at her doorstep before grinning. “Magnus!”

“Good evening, Catarina. Apologies for stopping by unannounced.” Catarina stepped forward, pulling Magnus into her arms and he leaned into the embrace. It had been far too long since he’d spent any time in his friends company. Alec stood back, watching the scene and he shuffled his feet nervously.

Magnus pulled back, giving his friend another grin before stepping back and ushering Alec closer. “Alec, I’d like you to meet Catarina. She’s one of my best friends.” Catarina took in Alec’s appearance, scanning him up and down before her eyes widened. She put a hand over her heart, stepping nervously closer. “Magnus… is he…?”

Magnus smiled, nodding his head. “Yes. It’s him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Tumblr: @ragnorfellintomyheart  
> Twitter: @ireadwaytoomuch

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Find me on:  
> Tumblr @ ragnorfellintomyheart  
> Twitter@ ireadwaytoomuch


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